Arctic Fox Research Paper

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The Arctic Fox The Arctic Fox (also known as Vulpes lagopus ) is a very remarkably hardy creature which has adapted to live in an extreme environment. The Arctic fox has a changing appearance. In the winter its fur coat is white while in summer it’s brown, The Arctic fox is about the size of a domestic cat . The Arctic fox’s niche is very secure because it’s an omnivore and seems to adapt to any situation .The adaptations that allow the Arctic fox to endure the Arctic’s abiotic conditions are: structural, behavioural and physiological adaptations. A Structural adaptation is a physical feature eg: limbs, hair, eyes. Arctic foxes have many structural such as their: thick seasonal fur, thick layer of body fat, relatively low surface area,…show more content…
The summer coat is thinner than the winter coat and has a colouration of dark brown and grey. This allows the fox to disguise against the dark rocks and small shrubs that make up the Arctic vegetation. This makes it hard for predators such as polar bears and golden eagles to locate the Arctic fox. The large dense winter coat insulates the fox against the cold climate and is made up of dense under fur and long guard hairs . The under fur is closer to the Arctic fox’s body while the guard hairs are further away from the body protecting the under fur. The white winter coat also provides great camouflage, making the fox blend in with snow and ice. This not only disguises the fox against predators but also against…show more content…
Arctic foxes mate for life and three adult foxes help raise the young. These adults are the parents of the pups and the other adult is one of the pups from the previous year .One of the reasons why they need two to three adults to care for the pups is because they need to catch at least thirty lemmings a day to feed all the young. One litter consists of around 11 pups which is one of the largest animal litters, this is another example of why more than one adult fox is needed to care for the litter . When the pups grow bigger the adult may need to catch around 100 lemmings daily. By the end of fall the pups are independent . Arctic foxes only live in family groups during the summer when it's time to

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