Editing Arctic fox (section)

{{Short description|Species of fox}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Redirect|White fox||White Fox (disambiguation)}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Arctic fox
| image = Iceland-1979445 (cropped 3).jpg
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref =<ref name=iucn>{{cite iucn |title=''Vulpes lagopus'' |name-list-style=amp |author=Angerbjörn, A. |author2=Tannerfeldt, M. |date=2014 |page=e.T899A57549321 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-2.RLTS.T899A57549321.en |access-date=19 November 2021}}</ref>
| status2 = G5
| status2_system = TNC
| status2_ref = <ref name="NatureServe">{{cite web|title=Vulpes lagopus|url=https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.100927/Vulpes_lagopus|website=[[NatureServe]] Explorer|access-date=17 April 2024}}</ref>
| taxon = Vulpes lagopus
| authority = ([[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|1758]])<ref>{{cite book |last=Linnæus|first=C. |title=Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I|year=1758 |publisher=Laurentius Salvius |location=Holmiæ (Stockholm) |page=40 |chapter=''Vulpes lagopus'' |chapter-url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/80764#page/50/mode/1up |edition=10th |access-date=23 November 2012 |language=la |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108003214/http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/80764#page/50/mode/1up|archive-date=8 November 2012 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>
| range_map = Cypron-Range Vulpes lagopus.svg
| range_map_caption = Arctic fox range
| synonyms ={{Unbulleted list|
* ''Alopex lagopus'' <small>(Linnaeus,&nbsp;1758)</small>
* ''Canis lagopus'' <small>Linnaeus,&nbsp;1758</small>
* ''Canis fuliginosus'' <small>Bechstein,&nbsp;1799</small>
* ''Canis groenlandicus'' <small>Bechstein,&nbsp;1799</small>
* ''Vulpes arctica'' <small>Oken,&nbsp;1816</small>
* ''Vulpes hallensis'' <small>Merriam,&nbsp;1900</small>
* ''Vulpes pribilofensis'' <small>Merriam,&nbsp;1903</small>
* ''Vulpes beringensis'' <small>Merriam,&nbsp;1903</small>
}}
| synonyms_ref = <ref>{{cite book|last1=Oken|first1=L. |title=Lehrbuch der Naturgeschichte |date=1816 |publisher=August Schmid und Comp.|location=Jena, Germany |volume=3 |page=1033|url=https://archive.org/stream/bub_gb_S5o5AAAAcAAJ#page/n1057/mode/1up}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Merriam|first1=C.H. |title=Papers from the Harriman Alaska Expedition. I. Descriptions of twenty-six new mammals from Alaska and British North America|journal=Proceedings of the Washington Academy of Sciences |date=1900|volume=2|pages=15–16 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8872019|jstor=24525852|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180304210706/https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8872019|archive-date=4 March 2018|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name=Merriam1902>{{cite journal|last1=Merriam|first1=C.H. |title=Four New Arctic Foxes |journal=Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington |date=1902 |volume=15|page=171|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/3830761|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180304210706/https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/3830761|archive-date=4 March 2018|df=dmy-all}}</ref>{{sfn|Merriam|1902|pp=171–172}}
}}
The '''Arctic fox''' ('''''Vulpes lagopus'''''), also known as the '''white fox''', '''polar fox''', or '''snow fox''', is a small species of [[fox]] native to the [[Arctic]] regions of the [[Northern Hemisphere]] and common throughout the [[Tundra#Arctic tundra|Arctic tundra]] [[biome]].<ref name=iucn /><ref name=msw3>{{MSW3 Wozencraft |id=14000873}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/a/arctic-fox/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161105080433/http://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/a/arctic-fox/|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 November 2016|title=Arctic Fox {{!}} National Geographic|date=2010-09-10|website=Animals|access-date=2019-01-28}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Arctic fox {{!}} mammal {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/animal/Arctic-fox |access-date=2023-04-08 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref> It is well [[adaptation|adapted]] to living in cold environments, and is best known for its thick, warm fur that is also used as camouflage. It has a large and very fluffy tail. In the wild, most individuals do not live past their first year but some exceptional ones survive up to 11 years.<ref name="dx.doi.org" /> Its body length ranges from {{cvt|46|to|68|cm}}, with a generally rounded body shape to minimize the escape of [[body heat]].

The Arctic fox preys on many small creatures such as [[lemming]]s, [[vole]]s, [[ringed seal]] pups, [[fish]], [[waterfowl]], and [[seabird]]s. It also eats [[carrion]], berries, seaweed, and insects and other small [[invertebrate]]s. Arctic foxes form [[Monogamy in animals|monogamous]] pairs during the breeding season and they stay together to raise their young in complex underground dens. Occasionally, other family members may assist in raising their young. Natural predators of the Arctic fox are [[golden eagle]]s,<ref>[https://www.flr.gov.nl.ca/wildlife/snp/programs/education/animal_facts/mammals/arctic_fox.html Arctic Fox] at Fisheries and Land Resources</ref> [[arctic wolf|Arctic wolves]], [[polar bear]]s,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20161105080433/http://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/a/arctic-fox/ Arctic Fox] at National Geographic</ref> [[wolverine]]s, [[red fox]]es, and [[grizzly bear]]s.<ref name="ReferenceB">{{cite journal|last1=Gallant|first1=D. |author2=Reid, D.G. |author3=Slough, B.G. |author4=Berteaux, D. |title=Natal den selection by sympatric arctic and red foxes on Herschel Island, Yukon, Canada|journal=Polar Biology |date=2014 |volume=37 |issue=3 |pages=333–345|doi=10.1007/s00300-013-1434-1|bibcode=2014PoBio..37..333G |s2cid=18744412}}</ref><ref name="doi.org">{{cite journal |last1=Noren|first1=K. |author2=Hersteinsson, P. |author3=Samelius, G. |author4=Eide, N.E. |author5=Fuglei, E. |author6=Elmhagen, B. |author7=Dalén, L. |author8=Meijer, T. |author9=Angerbjörn, A. |name-list-style=amp |title=From monogamy to complexity: social organization of arctic foxes (''Vulpes lagopus'') in contrasting ecosystems |journal=Canadian Journal of Zoology|date=2012|volume=90|issue=9|pages=1102–1116 |doi=10.1139/z2012-077|bibcode=2012CaJZ...90.1102N }}</ref>