Animals of the North Pole (The Arctic) 2
In this article, we will continue to introduce you to the animals of the North Pole (The Arctic).
The Snowy Owl
It has been Quebec's emblematic bird since 1987. Its scientific name is Bubo scandiacus, the same genus as our Great Horned Owl. He lives in the arctic tundra. It is a white bird, easily recognizable by its yellow eyes. It has become very popular thanks to the success of the Harry Potter films: it is indeed the hero's pet bird.
Males have plain white plumage, but females and juveniles have lightly mottled or brown stripes. The wingspan of females is slightly larger than that of males, about 1.70 meters. They vary in mass from 1 to 2.5 kg and can reach lengths of up to 70 cm. Even when the temperature reaches -50°C, the bird can maintain its body temperature between 38 and 40°C. In this natural environment, snowy owls, like foxes, occupy the highest positions in the food chain. Its diet includes Arctic hares and seabirds, but especially Lemnus lemnus and Arctic lemnings (of the genus Dicrostonyx). If it lacks food, it can become a scavenger by eating corpses.
Arctic wolf
The arctic wolf (Canis lupus arctos) inhabits northern North America. The Siberian wolf (Canis lupus albus) is a cousin that lives in the Siberian tundra and northern Scandinavia. The territory of the arctic wolf is covered in ice and snow all year round, with temperatures dropping to -60°C in winter. This is a small wolf with a body length of no more than 90 cm (a tail of about 30 cm should be added) and a height of 80 cm at the shoulder. On the other hand, it is heavier than the white wolf: on average 45 kg, individuals of 80 kg have been observed. Its white wool is particularly thick, its muzzle is smaller and rounder, its ears are smaller and its legs are shorter: these are typical morphological adaptations of species living in extremely cold environments.
Arctic hare
The arctic hare (Lepus arcticus) is very different from the mountain hare. It lives mainly in the tundra regions of Greenland and in the far north of Canada and Alaska.
It is able to dig deep holes in snow and soil. It may bear the name "Snowshoe Rabbit" in reference to the spread fingers of the paws, which allowed it to evolve on different thicknesses of snow without sinking too much. It can reach 60 km/h, in particular to avoid its various predators, arctic wolves, bears, arctic foxes and wolverines. Its ears are short compared to what is usually seen in other species of hare: when every calorie counts, you really have to reduce the surface area of the ears to keep the body warm in the freezing air. When it lives in the extreme north of its range, its coat turns white in winter. In summer, its body and head are covered in brown, a color best suited for camouflage in muddy and rocky environments.
The musk ox
The muskox (Ovibos moschatus) lives in the Canadian arctic tundra. It is more similar to mouflons and goats if it is possible to find similarities with bison. They are large and compact animals with weight: adult males weigh between 270 and 315 kg (females lose about 90 kg). Both males and females have impressive whisker-like horns. When foraging, if its claws are unable to break through the snowskin, it will smash it with a headbutt.
The arctic fox
Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) also known as arctic fox, flat blue fox or blue fox. These names can designate a total of 4 subspecies, which were bred for their fur during the interwar period. Arctic foxes are found throughout the Arctic. They are smaller than their cousin the red fox, between 0.50 m and 1 m in height and do not weigh more than 5 kg. They also have smaller ears and a shorter snout. Arctic foxes are the only canids to exhibit seasonal dimorphism, and they use their white fur to better camouflage themselves in the winter snow. In summer it is dark brown.
Arctic lemming
There are three species of lemmings in the Canadian Arctic: the brown lemming (Lemmus sibiricus) and the collared lemming (Dicrostonyx torquatus), which live in the mainland tundra west of Hudson Bay and southern arctic archipelago, and the Ungava lemming (Dicrostonyx hudsonius), lives on the peninsula of the same name. They are rodents, the neighbors of mice. It is the smallest mammal in the Arctic highlands, but it is a key animal in the Arctic ecosystem. For reasons that remain unclear, lemming populations peak about every four years before dropping to near extinction. Due to their presence in the diets of many animals, such as mink, arctic fox, snowy owl, long-tailed hawk, and skua, the numbers of other tundra animals have also fluctuated greatly.
Thus, in the Arctic, many polar animals have adapted their morphology and way of life to survive extremely low temperatures. However, when the cold intensifies, certain mammals and birds migrate and the Arctic is finally a place of welcome for many migrating animals in summer.
 2 In this article, we will continue to introduce you to the animals of the North Pole (The Arctic). …){kind=link}