ECOSYSTEM SNAPSHOT: TUNDRA

FEATURED POPULATION: ARCTIC FOX

ANIMAL FACTSAdaptations –

• Arctic foxes have furry soles, short ears, and a short muzzle.

• When the seasons change, their coats change as well. They change from white in the winter to brown or gray in the summer.

ARCTIC FOX: BASIC NEEDS

Basic Needs

• air• water• shelter• food

Shelter/Habitat

• burrows

Food

• rodents• birds• fish

THE TUNDRA COMMUNITY

Dall sheep

caribou

Arctic skua

wolverine

muskrat

Arctic hare

THE TUNDRA

THE TUNDRA ECOSYSTEM

• Very cold/dry climate

• Summer lasts only 6–10 weeks

• Average temperatures range from -30°F in the winter to 50°F in the summer (-34°C to 10°C)

• Total yearly rainfall equals 6–10 inches (15-25 cm)

PHOTO CREDITS

Photos are courtesy of clip art, US Department of Fish and Game; released to public domain, and Wikimedia; released to public domain