Arctic fox facts for kids

Those who love to find out animal facts will not want to miss this writing. Enjoy!

Arctic fox is the smallest member of canine family. There are 5 subspecies of arctic fox that inhabit tundra throughout the Arctic Circle. Arctic fox can be found in Iceland, Greenland, Northern Europe, Russia, Canada and Alaska. These animals are numerous everywhere, except in Scandinavia.

Facts on Arctic fox

1. The arctic fox lives on the arctic tundra in some of the harshest conditions on earth. Temperatures can fall as low as -50C (-58F)! But they have the best insulating fur in the whole of the animal kingdom to keep them warm.
2. Adapted to survive in harsh conditions, arctic foxes have a round compact body, short legs, short ears and small muzzles, reducing the surface area exposed to the cold air. Their deep, thick fur helps to maintain a consistent body temperature.
3. Alopex lagopus - the arctic fox’s scientific name - means ‘hare-footed fox’ as, like hares, their paws are covered in fur. This reduces heat-loss and enables the foxes to walk better on ice.
4. Their tail or ‘brush’, is around 13” long. It’s used to aid balance and act as a blanket when they are sleeping. Arctic foxes can curl their tail around their face to protect their nose from the cold
5. An artic fox’s fur changes according to the season. It’s white in winter to blend into the snow, preventing prey from seeing the fox. In Spring, this fur is shed to reveal grey fur underneath. The shade of the summer fur varies depending on where the fox lives. For example, those that live in along a rocky shore line will be browner to blend in. Do you want to check out our long and rich source of tigers facts in your spare time?
6. The lemming, a small rodent, is one of the arctic fox’s main sources of food. So much so that the arctic fox populations can fluctuate according to lemming numbers. They may also catch seal pups on occasion and, whilst they are carnivores, they aren’t picky and have been known to eat berries in the summer months.
7. When hunting in winter, the arctic fox’s incredible hearing allows them to locate the precise location of their prey under the snow. They will leap up in the air and pounce down into the snow on the prey below.
8. In Iceland, the artic fox is the only native land mammal.
9. Artic foxes mate for life, with both parents helping to raise the pups. Litter sizes range from 6-14, with an average litter size of 11. This is the largest litter size recorded for any wild mammal!
10. They live in burrows, which can be hundreds of years old, passed down generations of foxes.
11. The artic fox is very mobile, they will travel large distances across land and sea ice in search of food.

Just keep checking out our site everyday to get more updated news and information about everylife aspects as animal, plant or science facts and so on.