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Fast Facts:

The white bushy coat of the Arctic Fox makes it almost invisible to its prey in the snow.
In the autumn the coat turns light brown.
The small, compact body helps this fox to maintain its body heat. The ears are short and well furred to minimize heat loss.

Arctic Fox

Scientific Name	Alopex lagopus
Classification	Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Canidae
Status	Stable
Range	Mainly in the Arctic circle
Habitat	Tundra
Diet	Small mammals, birds, dead fish and carrion
Size	Length: 1.5-2 feet with a tail of 11-13 inches Height: 10-12 inches Weight: 10-18 pounds
Lifespan	3-6 years.
Location
Print Fact Sheet	Arctic Fox

Special Features

The feet are covered in thick hair on the soles to insulate the Arctic Fox against the cold ground.
The Arctic Fox lives in a den or burrow dug into the side of a hill, cliff or riverbank. During the winter there are several interconnecting tunnels in the snow.
They do not hibernate and some even migrate south to the coast or treeline of northern Scandinavia.
It will store food in a cache (store) in its den or rock crevices and marks it with a territorial scent.
The Arctic Fox only start shivering at -94 degrees.

Social Structure & Behavior

Reproduction:
Sexual maturity at 1 year. Gestation is 51-57 days resulting in a litter size that can be 4-11 cubs. Females can have 2 litters per year. Both parents care for the young. Weaned at 6 weeks.