Arctic Fox
Reproduction
In
late winter, arctic foxes seek dens in which to raise their young.
The dens are usually dug in gently sloping, sandy soil near rivers or
lakes or on elevated areas free of permafrost.
They have complex underground tunnels with numerous entrances and several
metres of interconnecting tunnels. Good
den sites are not common so they are occupied in successive years, becoming more
complex with use. Wolves may move
into old fox dens to raise their own young, and grizzly bears can cause
extensive damage by digging in search of arctic ground squirrels.
Arctic
foxes are sexually mature by 10 months of age.
They breed in March or April. If
the preceding winter was severe and the foxes are malnourished, they may breed
later than usual or not at all. One
litter is produced each season after a gestation period of about 51 days. On average, six pups are born between mid-May and mid-June.
Litter sizes vary widely, but are generally between 3 and 9 pups,
fluctuating with food availability and geographic location.
Foxes inhabiting coastal areas have smaller litters than foxes that
occupy inland tundra. The
newborn pups are tiny and helpless. They
are born blind, deaf and toothless with a soft dark-brown undercoat that
grows rapidly and turns paler after a few weeks.
 The young foxes emerge from the den after three or four weeks and
are weaned at about six weeks. They
are high-spirited and playful at this age and may boldly continue their
antics in the presence of humans. By
mid-August, they are independent and are abandoned first by the male fox
and then by the vixen. The
foxes then disperse for the winter.
Generally,
the arctic fox does not live for much longer than four years.
It has few natural predators.
Wolves are its most serious threat, and it keeps its distance from
polar bears. When threatened,
a fox usually runs, but in a desperate situation, it will turn and fight,
hissing and screaming.
Rabies
is the most common disease that affects foxes.
Encephalitis and distemper are also fatal diseases, which are more
prevalent during years with high numbers of foxes
Most foxes are infected with a variety of internal and external
parasites.
|
