- Physical Adaptations:
- Arctic Foxes change color based on seasons. They're fur turns white in the winter, and brown in the summer! This color allows the fox to change to blend into the summer tundra in July and August.
- The Arctic Fox has a dense, woolly coat that helps protect against the freezing cold.
- Small, heavily coated ears and a short, small nose which both reduce heat loss. This helps with preserving heat in the tundra cold.
- They also have fur on the soles of their feet, which is not only warmer on the outside, but increases blood flow to the feet on the inside. The big, furry feet also keep them from from crashing through the crusty snow. This way, they can stay on top of the huge drifts.
- Large, furry tail that serves as a blanket at night. Again, this protects against extreme cold.
- They have extremely good hearing, which significantly helps them hunt.
- Behavioral Adaptations:
- Arctic foxes mate for life, and both the mother and the father stay and raise the pups. This will help their population grow and thrive.
- A family of Arctic foxes can eat dozens of lemmings a day, which is good because their food options are pretty limited.
- When an arctic fox sees a small animal, it jumps on the ice to break it so it can reach the animal.
- Arctic foxes don't hibernate, which allows them to have up to 2 litters of pups every year, which is good to continue the population.
- The can distinguish the difference between the barks of members and non-members of their family group. This is important so they know who their family is.