Arctic Fox Facts & Characteristics of These Frosty Foxes

arctic foxes have small ears fluffy tails and white as snow fur these features make them to be one of the cutest creatures of the arctic regions however beyond their cute appearance what else do people really know about them arctic foxes live in some of the most extreme environments on the earth the arctic tundra the arctic tundra is cold sometimes even more than ice cold being able to survive there makes the arctic fox one of the most remarkable and resilient animals ever of course there is plenty more that makes the arctic fox a remarkable creature if you're interested in learning more then keep on watching for some arctic fox facts don't forget to like and subscribe for more neat facts to discover the world one click at a time [Music] number one there are different terms for female and male arctic foxes female adult foxes are called vixens meanwhile male adult arctic foxes are called dogs a kit is the term for a baby arctic fox for a group of kids born at the same time they are called a litter number two the arctic fox has a lot of other names the scientific name for the arctic fox is vulpes lagopas this means hairy-footed fox aside from this people also know the arctic fox as polar fox or white fox given their pure white fur number three arctic foxes are also called clowns of the tundra people know arctic foxes for their cheeky behavior they are playful just like other types of foxes number four the arctic fox is the smallest member of the canid family the canid family comprises dog-like carnivores including the arctic fox the average weight of a male arctic fox is around 3.5 kilograms while the average weight of a female arctic fox is around 2.9 kilograms this makes them the smallest among their relatives in the cannon family number five compared to other fox species they have shorter legs and necks most red boxes are around 90 to 105 centimeters long they are the largest fox species meanwhile arctic foxes only grow up to 46 to 68 centimeters long number six an arctic fox's tail helps them stay balanced an arctic fox's tail is around 33 centimeters long and it helps an arctic fox maintain their balance this is similar to how a cat's tail also helps them stay balanced aside from this an arctic fox's tail also helps keep them warm since their tails are thick and bushy arctic foxes use their tails as blankets to cover their face number seven despite their shorter limbs arctic foxes are still quick runners fox species are known for being fast sprinters arctic foxes in particular can run up to 50 kilometers or 31 miles per hour number eight arctic foxes will travel for food arctic foxes do not migrate during the winter like most animals do however they will migrate for food they will travel great distances in small groups if their current area no longer has any food number nine arctic foxes eat small creatures they hunt down lemmings or small rodents they also eat ring-sealed babies sea birds and ducks if their habitat has a shortage of food they will resort to eating seaweed berries insects and other dead animals number 10 when food is scarce they survive by storing fat from food some arctic foxes will stay in their habitat instead of traveling when food is scarce to survive they store a lot of body fat during the summer and fall arctic foxes will eat as much as they can the food buildup creates a layer of fat that becomes reserves that their body can use during winter number 11 when hunting arctic foxes use a technique called mousing an arctic fox will use their sense of smell and hearing to detect lemmings under the snow once it finds the lemming's exact location the arctic fox will jump into the air and plunge into the snow with its mouth wide open a successful mousing will result in the arctic fox emerging from the snow with the lemming in its mouth number 12 arctic foxes have a strong sense of smell their sense of smell is so strong that they can even detect prey hiding underneath the snow they can smell rodents under 46 to 47 centimeters of snow arctic foxes also use their sense of smell to track down polar bears from a distance of up to 40 kilometers they can pick up on the scent of dead animals left behind by other predators number 13 the color of an arctic fox's fur can change it depends on the seasons during the winter the arctic fox's coat is white in the summer their fur is brown or gray the color of their fur helps them blend with their environment better which protects them from predators number 14 arctic foxes have predators that are much larger than them wolves polar bears and golden eagles all like to prey on arctic foxes red foxes will also hunt down these small foxes as their prey number 15 however the biggest threat to them continues to be climate change aside from humans who like to hunt arctic foxes climate change is another threat to the safety of arctic foxes since arctic foxes prefer colder areas the rising temperatures are greatly affecting their habitat number 16 arctic foxes live in the arctic tundra the arctic tundra is within the northern regions of asia europe and north america arctic foxes also inhabit a few areas in antarctica these areas usually reach extreme temperatures like negative 58 degrees fahrenheit or negative 14 degrees celsius number 17 arctic foxes can carry the arctic rabies virus the arctic rabies is a strain of the rabies virus that has only been found in some areas of alaska canada greenland and other arctic regions scientists discovered arctic foxes were the main host of this virus number 18 while arctic foxes prefer extreme weather they will find it too cold if the temperature gets too low arctic foxes have fur covering their paws this protects them during the winter however they are not fully immune to the cold if the temperature reaches negative 94 degrees fahrenheit or negative 70 degrees celsius arctic foxes will start to shiver number 19 they are the only native mammals in iceland in the entire country of iceland arctic foxes are the only native mammals there traders and settlers brought in all the other mammals like reindeers horses and sheep back in the 18th century some also believe that arctic foxes originated elsewhere and traveled from the frozen seas of greenland and scandinavia to iceland number 20 arctic foxes live in burroughs some arctic foxes live in caves and dens however some also like to live in burrows on cliffsides burrows can shelter arctic foxes from harsh thunderstorms and freezing weather while it is still cold inside their burrows it is relatively warmer than the outside arctic foxes also stay in their boroughs during breeding season number 21 they also prefer living in dens they can easily access arctic foxes will choose to burrow in areas that are easier to dig this is because they often like to make maze-like burrows so that they can easily escape predators who might chase them down arctic foxes also prefer digging their burrows facing towards the sun that way their shelter is much warmer number 22 some arctic fox dens are centuries old fox 10s are often complex and maze-like tunnels that extend up to 1 000 square miles these dens usually house the leftover kills of arctic foxes and their wastes some of these dents have existed for around 300 years now number 23 arctic foxes are social creatures aside from traveling for food together some arctic foxes will also live in small packs much like a family a group of arctic foxes is called a skull or leash number 24 they communicate with each other using unique sounds a family of arctic foxes will communicate using their contact sounds or interaction sounds they use contact sounds to communicate over long distances if they are close by and wish to warn their fellow foxes of impending danger then arctic foxes use interaction sounds number 25 arctic foxes are monogamous creatures when arctic foxes mate they mate for life they stick with one another until one dies or is removed from their habitat both partners also take care of their pups the female arctic fox will feed and cuddle their kids while the male arctic fox protects them from any threats number 26 arctic boxes usually breed during april and may they only make once a year and it takes around 52 days for reproduction to finish during this long mating season the arctic foxes will stay in their den the female arctic fox usually gives birth to over 20 kits in a single letter this is a high number compared to other fox species number 27 unfortunately the mortality rate of arctic pups is high scientists discovered that only one out of an average of six kids will live long enough to reach maturity this is because most kits cannot survive the harsh temperatures of the arctic regions number 28 a young arctic fox will fully mature after nine to ten months those who survive the litter grow up to be adult arctic foxes in under a year once they reach full maturity they leave their parents burrow and live on their own number 29 the movie arctic dogs feature an arctic fox arctic dogs is a 2019 canadian american film by director and screenwriter aaron woodley it is a computer animated comedy film about an arctic fox named swifty swifty works for the arctic glass delivery service mailroom but he has bigger dreams of becoming a top dog top dogs are couriers who are huskies number 30 the arctic fox appears in the game adoptme adoptme is an online multiplayer game on the gaming platform roblox in the game you can adopt and take care of all kinds of pets one of the rarest pets in adopt me is an arctic fox it was released on december 14 2019 it can only be obtained from hatching a christmas egg or trading with other players who have it there is no doubt that the arctic fox is one of the cutest yet remarkable creatures in the wild unfortunately climate change and pollution continue to threaten the safety of these small foxes to ensure that arctic foxes can keep living peacefully it is important to do our part to keep the earth clean and green that way arctic foxes can continue to burrow with their families underneath the snow of the arctic tundra if you enjoyed our video don't forget to like share and subscribe to our channel for more facts videos

Channel: Facts Net

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Keywords: Facts, Facts.net, arctic fox, arctic fox facts, arctic foxes, facts about the arctic fox, arctic fox hunting in snow, arctic tundra, clowns of the tundra, polar fox, white fox, Arctic Dogs, arctic fox adaptations, arctic fox documentary, how to survive as a tiny arctic fox, arctic fox hunting, arctic fox habitat, where do arctic fox live, what do arctic fox eat, characteristics of arctic fox, arctic fox characteristics, snow fox, wildlife, animals, facts about arctic foxes

Id: a5EH57TXRMY

Length: 11min 49sec (709 seconds)

Published: Wed Jan 05 2022