By Bianca Bantum, age 8
Arctic foxes are mammals that live in the arctic tundra. They are canines like wolves, coyotes and dogs. Arctic foxes have fur that changes with the different seasons. In the winter, they turn white or blue-grey to blend in with the snow-covered tundra, and in the summer, they turn brown or grey to blend in with the plants and rocks on the tundra.
Arctic foxes are omnivores, which means that they eat both plants and animals. They like to hunt and scavenge. Their diet consists of lemmings, fish, arctic hare, snow goose eggs and leftover scraps from polar bear hunts. An arctic fox’s average lifespan is three to six years old in the wild. An arctic fox can have two to six cubs per litter, but some can give birth to up to 14 pups!
Did you know?
• Arctic foxes “grow” their own gardens by depositing organic material around their dens.
• Arctic foxes can hear rodents under the snow. If they pounce facing northeast, they are 73 percent likely to catch their prey, but only 60 percent likely if facing southwest.
• Just like cats, arctic foxes use their bushy tails for balance when jumping.
• Even though they live in the most frigid temperatures on Earth, they don’t start to shiver until it gets below -94 degrees Fahrenheit.
