Arctic Fox

The Arctic fox (the white fox)

The arctic fox (White fox or Snow fox) is a small fox that is native to the arctic regions of the northern Hemisphere. It has many adaptations to cope with the climate in which it lives.

The arctic fox's fur can be grey/blue or white in the winter so that it blends into the landscape. Its coat then changes from grey/blue to a charcoal colour and from white to a brown colour as summer begins. This is so that they are still camouflaged when the snow melts. They need to be camouflaged so prey and predators cannot see them as well.

They have adapted in many ways to cope with the sub-zero temperatures of their climate. It has the warmest fur of any mammal which is even warmer than the polar bear and arctic wolf. Their fur is also oily, which helps to trap in some of the heat and waterproof the fox.

Arctic wolves also have a compact body with short legs, short ears, dense fur, and thickly haired foot pads. Therefore the less surface area is exposed to the cold, less heat escapes the body. These not only help to insulate against the cold, but provide grip on the ice as well.