Arctic fox

a thickly furred, short-eared fox, Alopex lagopus, of the arctic regions, brownish gray in summer and white in winter.

Also, arctic fox. Also called white fox.

[1765-75]

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Northern fox (Alopex lagopus) found throughout the Arctic, usually on tundra or mountains near the sea.

Its short, rounded ears and short muzzle reduce its body area exposed to heat loss, and it has fur-covered soles. It is 20–24 in. (50–60 cm) long (excluding the 12-in., or 30-cm, tail) and weighs 7–17 lbs (3–8 kg). It has two colour phases. Individuals in the white phase are grayish brown in summer and white in winter; those in the blue phase (blue foxes of the fur trade) are grayish in summer and gray-blue in winter. The Arctic fox dwells in burrows and feeds on any available animal or vegetable material.

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▪ mammal

also called  White Fox, or Polar Fox 

 (species Alopex lagopus), northern fox of the family Canidae, found throughout the Arctic, usually on tundra or mountains near the sea. In adaptation to the climate, it has short, rounded ears, a short muzzle, and fur-covered soles. Its length is about 50–60 cm (20–24 inches), exclusive of the 30-centimetre tail; and its weight is about 3–8 kg (6.6–17 pounds). coloration depends on whether the animal is of the “white” or the “blue” colour phase. Individuals of the white phase are grayish brown in summer and white in winter (see photograph—>), while those of the blue phase (blue foxes of the fur trade) are grayish in summer and gray-blue in winter.

      The Arctic fox is a burrow dweller and may be active at any time of day. It feeds on whatever animal or vegetable material is available and often follows polar bears to feed on the remains of their kills. It usually breeds once yearly, a litter of up to 14 dark-furred pups being born between April and June; gestation is about 52 days.

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