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 22 arctic fox DHJanzen101155.jpg high resolution
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| The arctic fox (Alopex lagopus, Canidae) is most familiar to you as a white fluffy ball with four small feet sticking out below, or nestled into a snow drift or rocky den and thereby making it through the most severe part of the winter. However, they are also specialists at dealing with the cold - withstanding temperatures as low as -50 to -80 Centigrade, and ranging far out over arctic ice in the winter. However, in the summer - here 15 July - it sheds that heavy coat of fur. Arctic foxes are just as fond of lemmings as are weasels and cycle on them in the same manner - and just like weasels, can produce large litters of pups (up to 11) in response to abundant food. When food is scarce, the adults, like jackals and coyotes at lower latitudes, can survive on scavenging scraps from polar bear kills. And the ups and downs of the fur trade coming from the northern parts of Canada reflects very well the lemming cycles - not because fur trappers trap lemmings but because they shot/shoot/trap arctic foxes for their fur. | ||
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