I see that Julie posted about reindeer yesterday. The arctic animal I'm researching is the arctic fox. They are pretty cool animals too. Here are some fun facts about them:
+ Like all foxes, arctic foxes are members of the family Canidae, which includes dogs, wolves, coyotes, and jackals.
+ Arctic foxes are the only members of the Canidae family to have fur that turns color seasonally. Their thick winter coat is white or near white. Their summer coat is various shades of blue-gray or gray-brown.
Winter coat:
Shedding:
Summer coat:
+ Arctic foxes' winter coat is the warmest of any mammal in the world. Their rounded bodies, short snouts, small ears, and short legs are all adaptations to minimize heat loss. They don't start shivering unless the temperature drops below about -90 degrees Fahrenheit!
+ The dens arctic foxes live in often are quite complex with multiple entrances.
+ When arctic foxes lay down to sleep, they curl their bushy tails around themselves like fuzzy blankets.
+ Arctic foxes' hearing is so good that they can pinpoint faint noises of prey buried in the snow. They then pounce on the prey to break the snow layer and hopefully catch it.
+ Kits (baby arctic foxes) are blue-gray or gray-brown when they are born. Normally kits are born in litters of 5-7, but litters as big as 25 have been recorded.
+ The lagopus part of arctic foxes' scientific name, Alopex lagopus, means "rabbit footed." This makes sense, since arctic fox paws grow dense fur in winter to give them traction on ice.
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