* Threatened or Endangered
Arctic Fox *
: Alopex lagopus
: Mammal
: Northern and western Alaska and Canada, Russia, Scandinavia and Greenland
: Small mammals including lemmings, hares and voles and carrion
: Weight 6 to 10 lbs.
: Least Concern
This small fox is well suited for life in the frozen north. It has rounded, well-protected ears, thick fur all over its body, including the bottoms of the feet, and a special heat transfer system that helps to keep it warm. They don’t even shiver until it’s at least 97 below zero. An excellent sense of hearing enables them to locate rodents that make noise under the snow. They pounce to break through the snow to catch the prey. They also snatch tidbits from larger prey, when available.
Common in most of its range except for Norway, Sweden and Finland where the total population numbers just a few hundred or less.