Top 10 Cold Weather Animals

ARCTIC FOX

The Arctic fox also is known as the white fox, polar fox, or snow fox, is a small fox native to the Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Its body length ranges from 46 to 68 cm. It also eats carrion, berries, seaweed, and insects. Their round body, short muzzle, and small ears reduce body surface area and consequently exposure to extreme cold.

They must endure a temperature difference of up to 90–100 °C (160–180 °F) between the external environment and their internal core temperature. To prevent heat loss, the Arctic fox curls up tightly tucking its legs and head under its body and behind its tail. It was adapted living in cold environments and is best known for its thick, warm fur that is also used as camouflage. Their fur changes color to brown or grey in summer to help them blend in with their surroundings. The white morph has seasonal camouflage, white in winter.

POLAR BEAR

 Polar bears are fully equipped to survive in cold weather conditions and have multiple surviving techniques. It is a large bear, approximately the same size as the omnivorous Kodiak bear. A thick coat of long, heavy, white fur helps them to blend into their surroundings besides keeping them warm by trapping a layer of insulating air. Due to global warming, it has classified the vulnerable species.

The polar bear is a marine mammal because it spends many months of the year at sea. Polar bears have evolved adaptations for Arctic life. For example, large furry feet and short, sharp, stocky claws give them good traction on ice. The polar bear is a hyper carnivorous bear whose native range lies largely within the Arctic Circle.

BELUGA WHALE

The beluga whale is an Arctic and sub-Arctic cetacean. It is also known as the white whale. Belugas are gregarious and form groups of 10 animals on average, although during the summer, they can gather in the hundreds or even thousands in estuaries and shallow coastal areas. The species is similar to narwhals where the dorsal fin is absent on their bodies and hence reducing the bodyweight which will help in reducing body surface area and thus preserving body heat. They survive on a diet of fish, crustaceans, and invertebrates. Belugas are slower swimmers. They frequently swim at speeds between 3 and 9 km/h (1.9 and 5.6 mph), although they are able to maintain a speed of 22 km/h for up to 15 min.

CARIBOU

The reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), also known as the caribou in North America is a species of deer with circumpolar distribution, native to Arctic, sub-Arctic, tundra, boreal, and mountainous regions of northern Europe, Siberia, and North America. Reindeer have developed adaptations for optimal metabolic efficiency during warm months as well as during cold months. Talking about the appearance, they have a furry coat and undercoat is thick with long and hollow hairs.

NARWHALS

The medium-sized narwhal is native in the Arctic region.  It lives year-round in the Arctic waters around Greenland, Canada, and Russia. Narwhals can live up to 50 years. use sound to navigate and hunt for food.