When we think of Arctic animals, the first animal that springs to mind is usually the polar bear. But a little carnivore that weighs one-fiftieth as much is arguably the mammal best adapted to life in our planet's cold northern extremes: the Arctic fox.
This fox - like its larger red relative - also benefits from being a consummate omnivore and opportunist, enabling it to survive the seasonal peaks and troughs of food abundance in the tundra.
Where do Arctic foxes live?
As their name suggests Arctic foxes live in the Circumpolar Arctic, alpine tundra and island coasts.
What do Arctic foxes look like?
The majority of the world's Arctic foxes don white winter coats (which help it camouflage in the snow) that are shed to reveal a rich brown summer pelage, but the fur of the blue colour morph - globally unusual, but in Iceland comprising 65-70 per cent of the population - moults from a chocolate hue in summer to a blue-tinged brown in winter.
How big are Arctic foxes?
Arctic foxes are 50-75cm long without their tail - while the tail adds another 25-42cm. They weigh 3-4kg
How do Arctic foxes survive the cold extreme Arctic conditions?
The Arctic fox has many adaptations that help it to survive the extreme temperatures of the Arctic. Chief amongst these is its thick and fluffy coat of fur which changes depending on the season - a thinner grey fur in the summer, and the iconic thicker white in the winter, which allows them to blend into their surroundings.
They are also the only canid with fur on the pads of their feet, like built-in snowshoes! When sleeping they use their fluffy tail as a blanket, curling up tightly and wrapping it around their body to prevent heat loss.
What do Arctic foxes eat?
In Iceland Arctic foxes enjoy a diet of mammal carrion, seabirds, field mice and berries. In the rest of their range they predominantly eat lemmings. To catch lemmings they often need to go to quite extreme lengths to extract them from their burrows, jumping several feet into the air and nosediving into the snow to catch them.
Arctic foxes are resourceful scavengers, feeding on mice, shoreline creatures or the carcasses of seals, whales, reindeer or sheep. In the autumn, they eat the ripening crowberries that grow wild in moorland areas and cache food for leaner times.
When do Arctic foxes mate and how many young do they produce?
Pairs mate in February-May; litters of up to 15 pups are born in April-July, after a gestation of 51-54 days.
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