What Do Arctic Foxes Eat? Although seemingly small and adorable, Arctic foxes are known to be tough creatures as they can survive harshest of conditions in the Arctic. But what kind of diet supports arctic foxes to be live through the toughest climate conditions in the world?
How Do They Hunt?
Arctic Foxes live in an area where there is little to no forestry or any other habitation. They may have to travel many kilometres each day to find food for hunting. Due to this reason, they are not too picky when it comes to eating. As arctic ocean and the north pole is frozen most of the year, it can be rather painful for them to hunt for food. Usually, hunting for food is difficult for them. The arctic foxes are opportunists and often eat anything that they can find. This is because they detect prey with their hearing and smell senses which is not always the most accurate way to find prey. So, they have no choice but to accept whatever they find in the barren land.
What Is Their Diet?
Arctic foxes are omnivorous. They eat both plants and animals. Arctic fox can eat geese, lemmings, bird eggs, fish, seabirds, worms, amphibians, shellfish, etc. Geese and Lemmings are the main component of their diet which provide Arctic Foxes with the strength needed for hunting. Some Female arctic foxes may reproduce in a good food year when lemmings were abundantly available. To be able to make it through the extreme winter of the Arctic, the arctic fox must successfully hunt for lemmings. As mentioned, Arctic Foxes are not picky, so they eat whatever their surrounding offers them. Insects, berries, Frozen fruits are also a part of their diet.
Adaptability- Winters Are Tough On Them
Arctic Foxes have been blessed with the ability to camouflage according to their surroundings. This allows them to blend in while hunting. In winter they have a pure white fur coat, while in summer they have brown fur to hide them from both predators and prey.
Arctic Foxes are extremely well adapted to the climate of their habitat and can endure temperatures as low as -58 degrees Fahrenheit. It may be difficult to find food, given the arctic is covered in ice most of the year especially in winter. When this happens, the arctic fox may scavenge from polar bear’s food. This means that they follow polar bears and once polar bears are done eating, Arctic Foxes will eat the rest. In winters it is difficult for them to gain access to fish under the water as the Arctic Ocean gets frozen. Hence, in winter their intake of fish decreases and they have to rely on scavenging.
Summer Time
Summer is easier in terms of finding food for the Arctic Foxes. Their brown fur allows them to blend with the grass as they stay vigilant for prey and seeks the opportunity to attack. Arctic foxes eat bird eggs as well. They usually wait for birds to leave behind their eggs and steal them. Such is the life of an arctic fox in the north pole. Although conditions are unfavorable for them, they persist and hunt for food while defying the odds of survival.
How Do They Hunt?
Arctic Foxes live in an area where there is little to no forestry or any other habitation. They may have to travel many kilometers each day to find food for hunting. Due to this reason, they are not too picky when it comes to eating. As arctic ocean and the north pole is frozen most of the year, it can be rather painful for them to hunt for food. Usually, hunting for food is difficult for them. The arctic foxes are opportunists and often eat anything that they can find. This is because they detect prey with their hearing and smell senses which isnot always the most accurate way to find prey. So, they have no choice but to accept whatever they find in the barren land.
What Is Their Diet?
Arctic foxes are omnivorous. They eat both plants and animals. Arctic fox can eat geese, lemmings, bird eggs, fish, seabirds, worms, amphibians, shellfish, etc. Geese and Lemmings are the main component of their diet which provide Arctic Foxes with the strength needed for hunting. Some Female arctic foxes may reproduce in a good food year when lemmings were abundantly available. To be able to make it through the extreme winter of the Arctic, the arctic fox must successfully hunt for lemmings. As mentioned, Arctic Foxes are not picky, so they eat whatever their surrounding offers them. Insects, berries, Frozen fruits are also a part of their diet.
Also Read: What Do Arctic Wolves Eat
Adaptability- Winters Are Tough On Them
Arctic Foxes have been blessed with the ability to camouflage according to their surroundings. This allows them to blend in while hunting. In winter they have a pure white fur coat, while in summer they have brown fur to hide them from both predators and prey.
Arctic Foxes are extremely well adapted to the climate of their habitat and can endure temperatures as low as -58 degrees Fahrenheit. It may be difficult to find food, given the arctic is covered in ice most of the year especially in winter. When this happens, the arctic fox may scavenge from polar bear’s food. This means that they follow polar bears and once polar bears are done eating, Arctic Foxes will eat the rest. In winters it is difficult for them to gain access to fish under the water as the Arctic Ocean gets frozen. Hence, in winter their intake of fish decreases and they have to rely on scavenging.
Summer Time
Summer is easier in terms of finding food for the Arctic Foxes. Their brown fur allows them to blend with the grass as they stay vigilant for prey and seeks the opportunity to attack. Arctic foxes eat bird eggs as well. They usually wait for birds to leave behind their eggs and stealthem. Such is the life of an arctic fox in the north pole. Although conditions are unfavorable for them, they persist and hunt for food while defying the odds of survival.