Arctic Foxes, Arctic Circle

I always wanted to see Arctic foxes. There’s something about them, like little ghosts darting across the snow. They’re surprisingly small, barely 12in (30cm) tall and 27in (68cm) in body length, plus 12in (30cm) for the tail. They don’t weigh much either, a mere 17lbs (8kg), about the size of a cat or small dog, wrapped in all that fluffy fur.  

Their scientific name, Vulpes lagopus, means “hare foot” because they have thick fur on their paws, which helps them walk on snow without freezing. Even more interesting is how their fur changes with the seasons. They’re pure white in winter, perfect for blending into snowy landscapes. Come summer, their coat turns brown or grey to match the tundra. There’s even a “blue morph” Arctic fox with a deep charcoal, even bluish colour that never changes to white. They make up less than 10% of the Arctic fox population and are typically found near coastal regions.

Living across the Arctic, they make their homes in burrows tucked into hillsides or riverbanks. Some of these dens are hundreds of years old and have been passed down through the generations. Between April and June, the female foxes retreat into their dens to give birth to their pups, usually a litter of up to 10 pups. They may have a second litter a few months later if food is abundant. Both parents get involved with raising the pups and bringing food back to the den. 

What they eat depends greatly on location, but lemmings are their favourite. They use their excellent hearing and acute sense of smell to find their prey under the snow and then pounce hard to catch it. However, if there are no lemmings, the choice is fish, birds, eggs or anything they can scavenge, as well as berries and seaweed.

Because Arctic foxes are so small, they are natural prey for golden eagles and wolves. Red foxes, which are bigger and heavier, can also seriously threaten Arctic foxes, especially when food is scarce. While golden eagles might swoop to snatch a smaller Arctic fox, wolves can easily overpower one with their pack mentality and strength. 

Even though they’re pretty widespread, not all Arctic fox populations are doing well. Globally, they’re listed as Least Concern. However, in places like Norway and Sweden, they’re critically endangered because red foxes are more aggressive, and warming temperatures allow them to move further north, pushing Arctic foxes out.

Arctic foxes are hardy little creatures with a tough life surviving in this harsh climate, but they’ve managed to carve out a niche for themselves, adapting and holding their own in such an unforgiving environment.