The Artic Tundra: Artic fox
The Arctic fox has special evolutionary adaptations to ensure it thrives in its environment. The Arctic fox is an endotherm which means it controls its own body temperature. As apposed to an ectotherm who uses the environment to control its body temperature, the endotherms internal environment and the reactions and adaptations within it helps to control its body temperature. Visible adaptations the arctic fox has also helps it to keep warm in the harsh environment of the Arctic Tundra which can reach as low as–58°F (-50°C). Perhaps the most obvious adaptation would be the fur. The fur has several layers and an under layer which traps a layer of warm air next to the skin to insulate the animal. It also changes colour during the seasons turning a grey/blue color in winter to be camouflage into the snow and ice while hunting and a brown/grey colour to help hide among rocks during the summer months. The foxes tail is extremely thick and bushy and as well as it aiding balance the fox will cleverly use this as a covering for its nose and face in the cold weather.
The fox has a counter current heat exchange system which is also active in its paws to maintain a warm temperature they also have fur on the soles of there feet which prevents them from freezing so they can hunt on the ice, this also means they wont slip. The fox's short, rounded ears covered in thick fur helps minimize heat dispersal and due to their hearing being highly developed they can locate the exact location of their prey under the ice to pounce and capture its food, a video is shown below of how they do this. The Arctic fox has a low surface area to volume ratio and this means less surface area is exposed to the cold maintaining heat and reducing heat loss. Digging holes and dens in the snow for shelter is also another behaviour the arctic fox will use to create a warmer environment for when it has pups. A good layer of body fat also helps keep this animal warm. When the animal eats, some of the energy produced will go towards producing heat to keep the animal warm.
The Arctic fox is an opportunistic hunter and as such will feed on small mammals, insects and eggs then when the winter months come and food is more scarce it will follow and scavenge left overs from the kills of other animals which is where the camouflage it possesses come into great use as the polar bear has a tendency to eat arctic foxes and therefore the caribous behaviour of following polar bears for there leftovers is very risky therefore the camouflage is essential.
The Arctic fox is an opportunistic hunter and as such will feed on small mammals, insects and eggs then when the winter months come and food is more scarce it will follow and scavenge left overs from the kills of other animals which is where the camouflage it possesses come into great use as the polar bear has a tendency to eat arctic foxes and therefore the caribous behaviour of following polar bears for there leftovers is very risky therefore the camouflage is essential.