Vocabulary
diurnal: animals who hunt and
play during the day
Characteristics of the Arctic Fox
Hunts and
plays during
the day
Usually only
lives to age
3 or 4
Also known as
the snow fox,
polar fox, and
white fox
About as
big as a
pet cat
The Arctic
Fox
Take a look at
the Arctic fox’s
skin underneath
all that fur!
Brown fur
in summer
White fur
in winter
Barks to
communicate
Short ears,
mouth, and nose
help keep the
Arctic fox warm
The Arctic fox is a member of
the dog family
July
Summer Fox
September
During the summer, the Arctic
fox’s fur is brown and gray and
very thin. In September, its fur
starts to grow thicker and
changes color.
The Arctic fox’s brown and gray
summer fur helps it hunt during
the summer. It blends in with
the rocks and the dirt, providing
the fox with camouflage so it
can sneak up on its prey.
Vocabulary
camouflage:
a way of
hiding by
blending in
with the
surroundings
November
Winter Fox
By November, the Arctic fox’s
fur is fluffy, white, and very
warm. At the end of the winter,
it sheds its fur and grows
darker, thinner fur for summer.
The Arctic fox’s white fur helps
it hunt during the winter. It
blends in with the snow,
providing the fox with
camouflage so it can sneak up on
its prey.
Vocabulary
Brrrrr!!!!
mammal: a warm-blooded animal with fur or hair and
a skeleton; most mammals have 4 legs or 2 arms and
2 legs
The Arctic fox must survive frigid temperatures during
the winter. It has fur all over its body—even on the
tips of its paws!
The Arctic fox’s
fur is so warm
that it even
sleeps
outside
during the winter.
It uses its bushy
tail as a blanket!
If it gets too cold,
the Arctic fox digs a
hole in the ground to
escape the freezing
wind.
Did you know that the
Arctic fox has the
warmest fur of any
mammal?
Time For Dinner!!
The Arctic is not the place for a picky eater! The Arctic fox must
work hard to find enough food to survive all year long. Of course, the
fox prefers a nice, tasty lemming or vole, but it will eat just about
anything it can find. That includes eggs, fish, berries, seaweed, and
insects. The Arctic fox also eats Arctic hares, birds, seal pups, and
leftovers from other animals.
Arctic hare
Seal pup
Vocabulary
The Arctic fox is an
plants.
omnivore, which means it eats both animals and
The Hunt Is
On!
The Arctic fox must be a clever
and skillful hunter if it is to
survive in its frigid habitat. The
fox can snatch birds, fish, and
lemmings with one quick pounce. It
uses camouflage to hide from its
prey, sneaking up and attacking
without warning. The Arctic fox
uses it’s strong sense of hearing
and smell to find and catch prey
under the snow.
Vocabulary
habitat: the natural
environment of a plant or
animal
When times are really tough,
the fox will follow a polar
bear, hoping to enjoy the
leftovers from the bear’s
dinner. But if the Arctic fox
gets in the polar bear’s way,
it’s goodbye fox!
Watch this video of the Arctic fox
hunting lemmings!
Did you know the
Arctic fox can run
as fast as 30
miles per hour?
That’s about as
fast as the school
bus goes!
The Arctic fox’s
speed helps it catch
birds and other
small animals.
The geese scatter in every direction as
the fox snaps its jaws at the frightened
birds.
After the Arctic fox catches its prey, it digs a
hole and buries what it doesn’t eat right away.
The Arctic fox will need this hidden food during
the long, cold winter when food is scarce.
Vocabulary
These hidden
food supplies are
called caches.
An Arctic fox gets ready to bury a stolen egg to be eaten
during the winter. These eggs can last for up to one year!
Arctic fox cubs stick close to
home
Family Time
Notice how difficult it is to see
the fox cubs because of their
camouflage
Arctic fox den
Some dens have more
than 100 entrances!
In March or April, male and female foxes work together to clean out a den
for their new kits. The kits are born in May or June and there are usually
between 7 and 15 of them in a litter. The new kits are hungry and their
parents spend a lot of time hunting for food for them. They have to catch
as many as 100 lemmings a day for the family to survive!
Did you know a
male Arctic fox is
called a reynard?
Growing Up Fast
When Arctic fox kits are
first born, they are
helpless. They are blind
and depend on their parents
for food.
A mother fox, also called a
vixon, and her kit
Arctic fox kits are easy
prey
Golden eagle
for predators
like the golden eagle.
Fox parents work hard to
keep their new kits
secret.
Vocabulary
predator: an animal that hunts other animals for food
prey: an animal being hunted, caught, and eaten by another animal
Young
foxes
learn
to hunt
through
play.
After about a
month, the fox
kits become curious
and begin to poke
their heads out of
their den. By the
time they are 2
months old, they
are ready to begin
hunting for their
own food!
Danger for the
Arctic Fox
The Arctic fox can become
prey to predators like
polar bears and wolves.
The Arctic fox is hunted by
trappers who catch foxes for
their fur. Their fur is used
to make hats, mittens, and
coats.
Approaching ANY wild animal in
its natural habitat is NEVER a
good idea!
The Arctic Fox and YOU!
While Arctic foxes are most often found in the wild, it is possible for people and foxes
to spend time together just about anywhere and without anyone getting hurt! Biologists
carefully study the Arctic fox to learn more about its habits. In towns in the Arctic,
foxes can even be found living underneath houses during the summer! Some people raise
Arctic foxes as pets—getting them as babies so they can train them the same way
people train cats and dogs. Read this interview with one family who owns a pet Arctic
fox named Swiper to see what it might be like to have one of your own!
Q: What do you have to do to take care of your fox?
A: Luckily enough, I found an astounding vet who was comfortable seeing Swiper as a patient. He’s like a
furry, stinky dog. He needed to be microchipped, vaccinated, and given heartworm preventative medicine. I
used to trim his nails personally, scoop his litter box and play with him. To do right by a fox, I could say he
needed a lot of care.
Q. Did he show any destructive habits, like chewing, digging, or tearing? What about marking, or
“accidents”?
A: All of the above. (except for marking). He loved to chew everything he could get his teeth on. His teeth
are much sharper and more destructive than a normal dog… so he could destroy any toy within an afternoon!
Pet foxes rely on you to keep them entertained. So when they get bored… you’ll be the one paying for it.
Q: What does Swiper eat? Do you have fox food for him? Where can I buy some?
A: He eats a mixture of dog and cat food. Trust me, it couldn’t get any better than that. Fox food does
exist somewhere, but you don’t need to freak out about finding some. Most foxes aren’t picky eaters.
Swiper seems to be a self-regulating animal, so we leave food in his cage at all times and just refill as
needed. Pretty simple, am I right?
Check out Balto, another pet Arctic fox, playing fetch with his owner!
Arctic Foxes in North Carolina
At CLAWS, a shelter
near Chapel Hill, there
are 2 Arctic foxes that
live there: a male and
female pair named
Aurora and Borealis.
They were donated to
CLAWS after they
were bought from a fur
farmer. When they
were bought, the
farmer agreed to stop
breeding foxes for
their fur. The people
at claws describe their
fur as being less thick
because they are not in
their natural, very cold
habitat. They are
also described as being
sneaky, clever, and
foxy!
You can see Arctic foxes
at the North Carolina Zoo
in Asheboro!
CLAWS
Asheville
NC ZOO
Glossary
camouflage: a way of hiding by blending in with the surroundings
cache: a hidden, often underground, supply of food
diurnal: animals who hunt and play during the day
habitat: the natural environment of a plant or animal
kit: name for an Arctic fox baby
mammal: a warm-blooded animal with fur or hair and a skeleton; most mammals have 4
legs of 2 arms and 2 legs
omnivore: an animal that eats both animals and plants
predator: an animal that hunts other animals for food
prey: an animal being hunted, caught, and eaten by another animal
reynard: name for a male Arctic fox
vixon: name for a female Arctic fox