Atlantic Puffins spend up to eight months on the open ocean, coming ashore only to breed from late April through August. But unlike their southern counterparts, Puffins can fly, in fact puffins are capable of flight speeds up to 55mph with their wings flapping as much as 400 times a minute.
Like penguins, Puffins are capable swimmers. See Also List of Old English Occupations and descriptions My Tailbone Hurts After Delivery-What is Coccydynia? | After9months | after birth | postpartum 35 Best Poems About Dad | Poems On Father Penguins have long been considered an iconic bird of the snowy ice caps of the world – but these small, flightless birds are only found in the Southern Hemisphere – never in the Arctic north. Small but swift, smart and resourceful – the Arctic Fox continues to thrive among one of the most difficult ecosystems on the planet. The foxes become mature within 10 months.
The foxes breeding season is February to May – they form monogamous pairs who may mate for life – the females will often give birth to up to 10 pups – more at times when food sources are plentiful. These large subterranean burrows will often contain up to 100 entrances and a complex tunnel system. Generations of the same family of foxes often return to the same den each year. The native people of the Far North also trap Arctic fox for their fur.ĭuring the brief Arctic spring and summer, Arctic foxes move inland to mate and occupy extensive, communal summer dens. Fox pups may be taken by birds of prey including snowy owls, and large hawks. Natural predators include red foxes, wolves, wolverines, and polar bears. The snow actually acts as an insulator and the fur traps body heat even in the coldest temperatures – sometimes as cold as 50 degrees below Fahrenheit.Īrctic foxes are widespread throughout Arctic and sub-Arctic regions, where many different predators roam. During a blizzard, an Arctic fox can curl up in a tight ball, wrap its tail around itself, and be blanketed by snow. The fur on the bottom of their feet not only helps in keeping them warm but aids in traction while moving across wet and slippery surfaces such as the ice flows and snowy ground. This helps them to retain body heat, as do stubby legs, small ears and a small snout. Their winter coat is the densest and warmest of any land mammal and covers every part of their bodies, including the soles of their feet. In fact, Arctic Foxes are the only land mammal to venture as far north as the polar bear, often following them onto ice flows.Īrctic foxes are well adapted to extreme cold, some have even been spotted within 300 miles of the North Pole. In the winter, when prey is scarce, arctic foxes will often scavenge from polar bear kills. In addition to lemmings, Arctic Foxes will also feed on birds, invertebrates and occasionally fish. They will also bury food underground or beneath stones to store during the winter months, since the foxes do not hibernate. Using their excellent senses of hearing and smell, the foxes can locate their prey beneath the snow. In fact, the number of foxes in a region is relative to the size of a local lemming population.
The Arctic Fox primarily feeds on lemmings – small rodent creatures found in the Arctic Tundra.
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