Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus)
Great place to see the Arctic fox: Svalbard, Norway
In the surreal icescapes of Svalbard in Norway, if you see a dreamier movement of a creature moving with its thick white fur, you are seeing an Arctic fox. Also called the white fox, snow fox and polar fox, the Arctic fox is found in the Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
The snow fox feeds on ringed seal pups, lemmings, voles, hares, seabirds, waterfowls and fish. Sometimes, it also consumes berries, carrion, small vertebrates, insects and seaweed. The predators of this fox are golden eagles, red fox, grizzly bears, wolves and wolverines.
The Arctic fox builds and selects dens that face southward towards the sun for warmer temperature. It is mainly monogamous and both parents are known to care for the offspring. An interesting trivia is that in Iceland, this is the only native land mammal.
This adorable mammal has advantageous genes to overcome severe cold and starvation periods. The difference between the external environment and its internal core temperature is as much as 90-100 degree Celsius. Even as it is active year-round, it can preserve fat by reducing its locomotory activities. And in the autumn, it builds up the fat reserves and increases its body weight by more than 50% for greater insulation in winter. For all these amazing reasons, the Arctic fox is our Animal of the Week!
See this amazing animal on our ‘Pole Trance’ Wildlife Expedition to Svalbard!
