What animals live in the Arctic. Arctic plants
The Arctic is the region surrounding the North Pole, which includes almost the entire North Pole Arctic Ocean, Greenland, and also northern territories USA, Canada, Iceland, Scandinavia and Russia.
The climate is characterized by long, cold winters and short, cool summers. Precipitation in the Arctic typically falls in the form of snow. Many parts of the Arctic are arid and receive less than 500 mm of precipitation per year.
And those inhabiting the Arctic are well adapted to the harsh environment. Arctic vegetation is hardy and most species of native flora are compact in size, such as lichens, mosses, small shrubs and grasses. Animals such as Arctic hare, musk ox and pika graze on these plants. Other animals such as Arctic foxes and wolves hunt herbivores.
Below are the various animals that inhabit the Arctic, as well as a brief description of their features that allow them to live in one of the harshest conditions on our planet.
Arctic fauna:
Arctic fox
(Alopex lagopus)- a small species of fox that inhabits the Arctic. Arctic foxes feed on a variety of small animals, including rabbits, lemmings, voles, birds and carrion. They have thick fur that allows them to support normal temperature bodies in the extreme cold conditions of the Arctic.
polar bear
(Ursus Maritimus)- one of the largest predators on Earth. Polar bears have a diet that consists almost entirely of ringed seals and seals. They also sometimes eat beached whale carcasses, walruses, and bird eggs. The habitat range of polar bears is limited to the Arctic, where large amounts of ice and seals create ideal conditions for these ferocious predators.
Walrus
Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus)- a large marine mammal that inhabits the Arctic Ocean, the coast of Eastern Siberia, Wrangel Island, the Beaufort Sea and the coast of Northern Alaska. Walruses feed on a variety of animals, including shellfish, sea cucumbers, shrimp, tube worm crabs and other marine invertebrates. Walruses are threatened by several predators, including killer whales and polar bears.
Muskox
(Ovibos moschatus) are large ungulate mammals that belong to the same family as bison, antelope, goats and cattle. Musk oxen live in the tundra and Arctic, where they feed on plant matter such as lichens, moss, flowers, grass and roots. The thick, long coat helps keep bodies warm in extremely cold environments. An outer layer of long, coarse guard hairs provides protection from the wind, while an inner layer of shorter hairs provides insulation.
Musk oxen form large herds of two to three dozen individuals, which gives them protection from predators.
The range of harp seals extends across the ice of the Arctic and North Atlantic oceans, from Newfoundland to northern Russia.
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The Arctic and Antarctic are areas located around the Northern and South Pole. In winter, the days here are short and the nights are long, many winter days when the sun doesn't rise at all. In summer, on the contrary, the days are long and there are many days when the sun does not set around the clock. Winters here are extremely cold, and even in summer the temperature rarely rises above freezing. But the most amazing thing is that there are animals here that have adapted to life in these harsh conditions. A thick and subcutaneous layer of fat warms whales and seals, and thick fur also protects land mammals from the cold.
Almost all of Antarctica is covered with ice; in small areas of land nothing grows except algae, mosses and lichens. The basis of all food chains there are tiny planktonic plants in the ocean. Almost all types of animals, such as penguins, live in water or go there for food. The exceptions are seals, which come out of the water to their usual rookeries to breed and raise their offspring. The Arctic is slightly warmer than the Antarctic. In summer, on the border of the Arctic Circle, many plants appear that serve as food for rodents. One of the most beautiful birds of prey, white (polar) owls, feed on rodents. The Arctic is home to reindeer, polar bears, arctic foxes and seals.
Arctic Animals
The Arctic is the northernmost polar region globe. It includes the entire Arctic Ocean with islands and the northernmost outskirts of Europe, Asia and America. It is always cold here, even in summer the air temperature rarely exceeds 0 °C. Low temperatures air does not allow plants and cold-blooded animals to develop. But in the Arctic you can find mammals and birds. Their whole life is connected with the ocean. In sea water, the temperature of which, even in severe frosts, is always above 0 °C, there is food for them - plants, fish and invertebrates.
The dark polar winter lasts for six long months, but even in the summer the sun does not rise high above the horizon. Temperatures only rarely rise above zero, and in Antarctica, where it is even colder than the Arctic, it can drop to -84.4 C. Despite this, some animal species feel at home here.
Since there is practically no vegetation here, large animals feed sea fish, which is found in great abundance. For mammals and birds, the most important thing is to maintain heat, so they adapt to the conditions of their environment, having either a thick subcutaneous fat layer, or thick fur or dense plumage. Some types of insects spend the winter hibernating under snow cover. Animals that have not adapted to extreme cold conditions spend winter period in warmer southern countries.
White bears
The mighty polar bear is the largest land predator in the Arctic (not counting the huge brown bears in Alaska and Russia). The polar bear mainly lives in coastal areas and on pack ice. In the tidal zone of the polar seas there is a lot of plankton, which feeds fish and other animals, which, in turn, become food for polar bears.
Adult animals reach sizes of about 3.3 meters in length and a height at the withers of up to 1.5 m. An adult male polar bear can weigh up to 800 kg. Hardy swimmers, they can cover long distances, and sometimes bears swim many hundreds of kilometers on drifting ice floes. .
The main prey of polar bears is small seals, there are many of them in the Arctic. In search of seals, the bear stands on its hind legs and sniffs - it smells prey from kilometers away. The bear approaches from the leeward side, so that the wind does not carry its scent to the seals, and crawls towards the rookery on its belly. They say he even covers his black nose with his paw so as not to be noticed. Having chosen a victim, the bear grabs it in a deft throw. The bear will swim under the water to the seals resting on the edge of the ice floes and drag away the closest one. It happens that the ice traps Arctic dolphins - orcas - in small holes. The bear beats the floundering animals with its paws, drags them onto the ice and stacks them in the cold, creating a food warehouse in a natural refrigerator. The walrus is a desirable prey, but it is twice as heavy as a bear, and a predator cannot defeat it. The smart bear, knowing the timidity of walruses, runs around their rookery and growls. The walruses, in a panic, crushing each other, rush to the sea, and the bear collects the “harvest”: wounded adults and crushed walruses. In summer, bears enter the tundra to diversify their diet with lemmings, nesting birds, as well as mosses, lichens and berries.
However, the most favorite food of polar bears is ringed seals and bearded seals (sea hares). The bear waits patiently at the hole as they come up for air. Having stunned the prey with its powerful paw, it pulls it out of the water and immediately eats it. A female bear usually gives birth to one or two cubs and raises them in a den made in ice.
Seals
There are eight species of seals living in the Arctic - seven species of true seals and walruses. The common seal is an inhabitant of the northern coasts of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Seals do not go out to the open sea. They can be found swimming near the shore or resting on land or ice. Adult seals have very thin fur, which is in no way capable of protecting them from the cold. How does a seal escape from severe frosts and icy water? It turns out that their subcutaneous fat plays a heat-insulating role. Its thickness can reach tens of centimeters. With such a pillow, a seal can lie for hours on the snow, which does not even melt under it, while its body temperature remains constant and high (+38 ° C).
Seals trace their origins back to ancient land animals. carnivorous mammals. Over millions of years of evolution, they have adapted to life in water: their limbs turned into flippers, and their body became spindle-shaped and streamlined. Seals move on land with great difficulty and, in case of danger, immediately dive into the water - they can remain in a state of immersion for several minutes.
Seals feed mainly on fish. In pursuit of schools, they often swim into the lower reaches of rivers.
Unlike whales, seals breed exclusively on land. Their cubs are dressed in lush white or gray fur, which disappears after the first moult.
Walruses
Walruses are huge sea animals, inhabitants of the Arctic. They, like seals and fur seals, belong to the order Pinnipeds. Walruses have sparse hair, and in older individuals it is completely absent. They are warmed by a thick layer of subcutaneous fat. The skin is very strong, almost like armor, with many huge folds. Among modern animals, walruses have the most powerful tusks. In some males their length can reach 80 cm!
In Arctic waters, walruses stay in shallow water areas, abundant in bottom animals: mollusks, worms, crabs - this is their main food; they use their extraordinary tusks to dig up prey from the bottom of the sea.
Walruses are excellent swimmers and divers. On land they are clumsy and move with great difficulty, and when they get out onto the ice, they help themselves with their fangs.
They breed on land. Fierce fights occur between males. Their thick skin protects them from serious damage from powerful fangs. Cubs are born with thick hair, which disappears over time. Nobody teaches little walruses to swim; immediately after birth, they fearlessly rush into ice water and dive with pleasure.
Due to predatory fishing, there are few walruses left (they were hunted for their meat, skin, fat and tusks). In our country, walruses are protected.
Most of us will never visit the Arctic Circle, and the inhabitants of this northernmost region are quite happy with this state of affairs. We are not talking about Eskimos, but about animals that call the Arctic their home. Although the temperatures are below zero and gloomy northern forests may seem grim and merciless, many animals thrive in the frozen tundra of the Arctic Circle.
Some of these animals you've probably seen before, like the polar bear or polar owl, while others are more exotic, like the "unicorn of the sea" or the lynx. Let's learn more about 13 representatives of the animal kingdom of the ice-covered Arctic Circle.
Wolverine
What comes to mind when you think of wolverine? A ferocious animal similar to a wolf? In fact, these creatures are part of the mustelidae family and are more similar to river otters. Unlike the movie character of the same name, Wolverine does not have retractable metal claws. However, their claws are semi-extendable, but are most often used for digging and climbing.
Lynx
The lynx is a little-studied feline that is usually small in size. They have long legs and wide paws, which makes it easier to walk in deep snow. Most often they hunt small white hares. In the 1970s, the lynx was considered an extinct species, but later successfully reappeared. Today it is listed as a critically endangered species.
little swan
The little swan migrates to Alaska every spring to build a nest and lay eggs. In the fall, this species moves to the northeastern United States along the coast Atlantic Ocean.
White hare
These amazing creatures can be found in the northern regions of Alaska, Canada and Greenland. IN winter months The fur of the mountain hare turns white, which allows it to camouflage against the snow, but in summer it is usually gray-brown.
The mountain hare is not considered a critically endangered species.
Red fox
The red fox is by no means unique to the Arctic Circle. In fact, it can be found on every continent in the world except Antarctica. Unfortunately, it is considered dangerous in many ecosystems. To Australia, for example, red fox was introduced by humans in 1855 for recreational hunting purposes and quickly took root in the wild. About 150 years later, the species became a threat to large numbers of bird and mammal populations native to Australia.
Belukha
This famous white whale can be found in the icy waters of Alaska, Canada, Greenland and Russia, but populations of this animal in all these countries are considered endangered.
There are only five populations of this species in Alaska. Cook Inlet's beluga whale population, one of the few resident ones, was recently listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
Polar bear
The polar bear is also known as polar bear. These majestic animals are considered an endangered species and are protected by law in many countries. Their diet includes primarily seals, and therefore they live mainly in coastal areas.
Caribou
Woodland caribou - the domesticated animal is called "reindeer" - can be found in southern Alaska, Canada, Russia and Greenland. This is the only species of deer in which both males and females have antlers. Caribou are protected under the Endangered Species Act.
Narwhal
Called the “unicorn of the sea” because of the long (sometimes up to 3 meters!) fang protruding from its jaw, this unique Arctic animal can be found in the waters of Greenland and Canada. The hunting and feeding system of narwhals still remains a mystery to scientists, although it is reliably known that the canine is not used for hunting. Their diet consists mainly of squid.
polar owl
Polar owls are the only birds that live all year round in the Arctic and do not migrate. When a snowy owl is fully mature, its feathers are pure white, but owls have gray plumage. The famous Harry Potter animal named Hedwig is a polar owl.
Arctic fox
The Arctic fox can be found in most Arctic ecosystems in the Northern Hemisphere, even in Iceland, where it is the only native land mammal. It appeared in Iceland during the last Ice Age, crossing onto a volcanic island on frozen water. This fox-like species is considered endangered in Scandinavia, where it has been strictly protected for decades.
Great auk
The great auk was a species of penguin and was the first flightless bird of this family. She lived in North Atlantic waters, particularly Canada, and could be found as far away as New England. Hunting of the great auk led to its extinction in the 1800s.
Modern penguins live only in the Southern Hemisphere.
Atlantic dead end
This memorable creature is related to the extinct great auk described above, but it is alive and well and can be found in Northern Europe, Arctic Circle, parts of Maine, USA, and Newfoundland. This seabird spends most of its time in the water, diving for fish and squid. On land it can be found in spring and summer during the breeding season.
The Arctic is one of the few corners of the Earth where nature has been preserved in almost its original form. Polar bears, reindeer, walruses, seals, and whales live here. At the same time, the Arctic is one of the most vulnerable regions of the world. Melting ice, poaching, and most importantly, oil production projects on the Arctic shelf can lead to a reduction in the number or even complete extinction of animals, many of which live only here. Here are five species listed in the Russian Red Book that could be affected by oil production in the Arctic.
Atlantic walrus
It is one of the largest inhabitants of the region. It is easily recognized by its two powerful tusks, which can reach 80 cm in length. To pull its massive body out of the water, the walrus rests its tusks on the hard surface of the ice. The walrus' limbs are so mobile that it can scratch its neck with the claws of its hind flippers. Elastic thick “whiskers”—vibrissae—grow on the upper lip of the walrus. The abundance of nerve endings makes them indispensable when “hunting” mollusks. The walrus actually looks for them by touch.One of the main threats to walruses is climate change. The animal's life cycle is closely connected with ice: walruses use it as a platform for resting and breeding. Another serious threat is the risk of pollution of the marine environment, bottom and shores with petroleum products as a result of the search for and development of hydrocarbon deposits in the Arctic. To date, no company in the world can effectively eliminate the consequences of oil spills in ice conditions. Oil washed ashore will remain there for decades. Heavy fractions will settle to the bottom, and this is where the walrus finds its food - bottom invertebrates.
White seagull
This is the only almost completely white bird in the Arctic. Gulls nest in colonies on the plain or on rocks. They can also build nests near people's houses. Such nests are often destroyed by dogs. The white gull feeds on fish and invertebrates. The bird often accompanies the polar bear, feeding on the remains of its prey.Over the past decades, the number of ivory gulls has decreased. Scientists say one of the reasons is warming in the Arctic. The bird is also vulnerable to chemical pollution of the environment, which is confirmed by the detection of high mercury content in eggs. And medium to large oil spills even cause mass deaths of birds.
Narwhal
The narwhal, or unicorn, is a unique marine mammal found only in the Arctic. In Spitsbergen (Norway) the species is under special protection. This representative of toothed whales can boast only two upper teeth, one of which in males grows into a spiral-twisted tusk up to 3 m long and weighing 10 kg. There are narwhals with two tusks. In the Middle Ages, the tusks of this animal, which came to Europe as a rare curiosity, gave rise to the myth of the unicorn. The purpose of the tusk is not known exactly. This can be a kind of “signal antenna”, a tournament weapon and a means for breaking through thin ice.Very sensitive to underwater noise. This means that intensive shipping, as well as all kinds of construction work in their habitats, can negatively affect the animals. Not to mention possible consequences oil spills. In marine mammals, petroleum products cause skin and eye irritation and decreased swimming ability. The fat layer also suffers: it loses its ability to retain heat and water, which disrupts the animal’s thermoregulation.
bowhead whale
This animal was recently considered an extinct species. Today it is known that there are several hundred individuals left in the world. Low reproductive potential does not allow the species to quickly restore its numbers to a safe level. The age of bowhead whales is difficult to determine. It is believed that they can live up to 300 years, so it is possible that a whale born during the time of Napoleon lives in the waters of the North Atlantic.The species is protected everywhere, but the animal is not immune from accidental capture in drift fishing nets. Whales are also very sensitive to oil spills, since the oil film destroys their food supply - plankton. When oil enters a whale's body, it causes gastrointestinal bleeding, kidney failure, liver intoxication, and blood pressure disorders. Vapors from oil vapors cause damage to the respiratory system.
Polar bear
- the largest land predator on the planet. On average, the weight of an adult bear is 400-500 kg, but there are cases when the weight of the animal reached 750 kg. At the same time, a newborn bear cub weighs only half a kilogram. According to experts, there are now about 20-25 thousand polar bears in the Arctic. Environmentalists warn that the population could decline by more than two-thirds by 2050.Climate change, poaching and oil extraction, accompanied by water pollution, contribute to the deterioration of the living conditions of polar bears. Water pollution leads to poisoning of bears with pesticides and their metabolites. Read also about why in 20 years they may; find out what types of animals are in the 21st century.
The nature and fauna of the Arctic are unique. More than 20 thousand species of plants, animals, fungi and microorganisms live here, and some animals and plants are found only in the Arctic.
The main feature of all species of animals in the Arctic is unique abilities to survival in extreme conditions.
In spring and summer, many migrating animals arrive in the Arctic, and during the year, some of them literally travel around the world, covering vast distances.
Some of them form large clusters on migration routes, making stops for feeding or molting, while others, on the contrary, gather in large number specifically in breeding areas.
The governments of the Arctic states have committed themselves to allocate territories for nature reserves and National parks. Currently, part of the territory of the Russian Arctic is protected areas.
Here are the Russian Arctic and Beringia national parks, the Laplandsky, Kandalaksha, Nenetsky, Gydansky, Bolshoi Arctic, Taimyrsky, Ust-Lensky and Wrangel Island nature reserves, in addition, a number of federal reserves and many regional protected areas
The closer to North Pole, the poorer the flora and fauna: not all species are able to adapt to extremely low temperatures.
For example, in Taimyr, in the forest-tundra zone, 80 species of birds live and 250 species of vascular plants grow, and further north, in the zone of polar deserts, there are only 12 and 50, respectively.
However, there are exceptions to this rule: the Arctic is home to about half of the more than 200 known species shorebirds and 70% of the world's goose population.
One of the most beautiful animals of the North is the reindeer.
In addition, it is one of the main animals in the life of indigenous peoples. Reindeer husbandry became a traditional activity for many indigenous peoples about a thousand years ago.
The largest population of domestic reindeer lives in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug - about 665 thousand.
animals. In America, reindeer are called "caribou" (caribou are slightly larger in size than reindeer).
Many Arctic peoples, such as the Sami, Nenets and Chukchi, still breed reindeer.
This occupation provides them with food, clothing and shelter, and is also a source of income.
Native people in Alaska and Canada, however, still prefer to hunt caribou rather than herd reindeer.
Both caribou and reindeer have hollow fur, which keeps them warm and helps them stay afloat.
Deer - excellent swimmers, capable of crossing wide rivers and even maneuvering between sea ice floes.
Calves are born in early spring. Thanks to the reserve of so-called brown fat, with which calves are born, they do not freeze. Already an hour and a half after birth, calves can run, so they usually do not lag behind the migrating herd.
Reindeer migrations are one of the most exciting spectacles in the world.
During the spring transitions, small groups of deer unite, gradually forming huge herds - up to 500 thousand.
individuals. In the fall, they again break up into groups and go to the forests for the winter. Some herds travel up to 5 thousand km per year.
Musk oxen, the same age as mammoths, are the largest ungulates in the Arctic. They graze in small groups, usually in lowlands and river valleys, where shrubs, their main food, grow in abundance.
Musk oxen, although they resemble bison, are more closely related to sheep and goats. In ancient times, these animals were much more numerous, but during the Neolithic period they were almost completely exterminated by hunters.
Musk oxen are very massive herbivores: they can weigh up to 300 kg and reach 150 cm at the withers.
In addition to people, wolves hunt musk oxen.
To escape danger, these animals quickly run, climb mountain slopes, or defend themselves by using their massive sharp horns.
Musk oxen are perfectly adapted to survive in the harsh conditions of the Arctic: temperatures of -40 °C, snowfall and strong winds are not scary for them.
The polar bear, or "nanuk" in the Inuit language, is the largest land mammal of the world.
However, the sea also plays a significant role in the life of these animals - hence the Latin name Ursus maritimus, "sea bear".
The polar bear is a northern relative of the brown bear and lives on the mainland coast and the Arctic islands.
Moving on ice floes, polar bears pursue their favorite prey - the ringed seal.
Sometimes they travel across the ice that covers the center of the Arctic.
Polar bears can swim for several days without stopping, and their excellent sense of smell allows them to detect openings where seals come to breathe, and at a very considerable distance - over one and a half kilometers.
In places where the ice cover completely disappears by mid- to late summer, bears have to move to the shore for several months and wait for the water to freeze again.
Newborn cubs weigh less than a kilogram, and the weight of adult males can reach 800 kg.
Height large bears at the withers the average length is 1.3-1.5 m. The she-bear is almost half the size.
Polar bears are perfectly adapted to the harsh Arctic conditions: their dense fur repels water, black skin attracts Sun rays, and a thick layer of fat prevents you from freezing. Their milky white color makes them invisible to prey. Finally, polar bears have the ability to “hibernate on the move”: they remain awake, but go without food for a long time.
In addition, arctic foxes, stoats, foxes, polar wolves, wolverines, various rodents, and hares live in the Arctic.
As for birds, the Arctic is home to almost half of the world's shorebird species.
On the Arctic coast there are so-called bird colonies - bird colonies. The largest colonies in the Arctic belong to kittiwake gulls, thick-billed guillemots and little auks; other species are present at markets in smaller numbers. Northern Yakutia is home to one of the most rare birds on Earth - the Siberian Crane (white crane).
The Arctic is home to more than 10 species of marine mammals (dolphins and whales - blue, humpback, sperm whales and fin whales), as well as at least 10 species of pinnipeds - walruses and seals.
Birds, fish and marine mammals are especially common in the southern ocean.
Life also boils at the bottom of the ocean, especially at shallow depths where sunlight penetrates.
Thus, off the coast of Iceland, scientists discovered representatives of 4 thousand species, and groups that differ significantly from each other live in different areas.
The Great Siberian Polynya in the Laptev Sea is another place with a high density of inhabitants. Walruses, ringed seals and bearded seals feed here, as well as eider ducks, long-tailed ducks and other seabirds.
Beluga whales live in the Arctic waters off the coasts of Russia, Greenland, Canada and Alaska.
They are considered one of the smallest species of whales: their body length is only 5 m. Due to the huge range of sounds they make - from chirping to roaring - these animals are called sea canaries.
Beluga whales are social animals, so they live in groups, and sometimes they can form whole herds of several hundred individuals.
They spend the summer near the coast - in bays, shallow bays and river mouths, where they feed on fish, crustaceans and cephalopods.
In winter, beluga whales stick to the edges of ice fields, but sometimes penetrate far into the glaciation zone through narrow water tunnels.
During the coldest months, beluga whales can become trapped in ice and become prey to polar bears.
Thanks to their ability to echolocate, beluga whales are excellent at navigating underwater and are able to find their way through ice.
Toothed whales related to belugas, narwhals, live year-round in the fjords and bays of Canada and western Greenland.
Narwhals are called unicorns of the sea: males have a long, spiral-shaped fang in their upper jaw.
Its outer layer has nerve endings, which means, according to some scientists, it is a special sensor with which the whale determines water pressure, its temperature and salt content.
Narwhals can dive to very great depths - 1.5 thousand m. Under drifting ice floes they catch flounder and other fish.
Walruses live in Arctic and subarctic waters from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean.
Males have huge fangs and coarse hair-vibrissae (the organ of touch).
Their weight can reach 2 tons. Walruses spend most of their rather long (20-30 years) lives in communities on ice floes and the coasts of food-rich waters. They achieve their enormous mass by feeding on animals that live on the seabed: mollusks, shrimp, crabs, worms and cold-water corals.
The walrus still remains a very valuable catch for local hunters, who have found use for almost every part of its carcass.
The Arctic and its inhabitants
The Arctic and its inhabitantsArctic desert
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Arctic Animals
The vast northern expanses, stretching from Iceland to the Aleutian Islands, are called the Arctic zone. This is the undivided kingdom of ice and cold. The icy waters of the Arctic Ocean, the endless tundra of the continents adjacent to the cold body of water, rocky islands with steep, ice-covered shores - this is what the Arctic is.
Everything here looks stern, gloomy and unfriendly. Strong icy winds, fogs, heavy snowfalls, polar days and nights are integral components of this region.
It would seem that in such conditions a normal existence is simply impossible.
However, this is not the case. Among eternal ice and the snow drifts seethe with full-blooded life. The cries of seagulls above speak about this sea wave, and the roar of walruses, and the growl of polar bears, and high dorsal fins killer whales periodically appearing above the dark water surface. Arctic Animals- this is the name of this special living world, which dared to challenge the mighty cold and the all-powerful permafrost.
Birds
The most numerous inhabitants of the vast expanses harsh North are birds. The pink gull is a fragile-looking creature. Its weight does not exceed a quarter of a kilogram, and its body length barely reaches 35 cm. However, this little bird feels quite at ease both in the harsh tundra and above the sea surface covered with drifting ice.
The guillemot is a black and white bird. With her attire she resembles a Catholic priest, and with her behavior she resembles a lively market trader. It nests on inaccessible cliffs, and spends the winter on ice floes without experiencing any discomfort.
In this row you can also put the common eider - the northern duck. It is not difficult for her to dive into icy water to a depth of 20 meters. The most ferocious and largest among birds is the polar owl.
This is a ruthless predator with yellow eyes and white plumage. It attacks both birds and rodents. It can also feast on the cub of a larger animal - for example, an arctic fox.
Seals
These Arctic animals form a special cohort and have been living in the Arctic region for thousands of years.
These include the harp seal, which is distinguished by a very beautiful pattern on its skin. The bearded seal is one of the largest seals. His height reaches 2.5 meters, and his entire weight falls just short of 400 kg.
The common seal is smaller in size than the bearded seal, but has very beautiful and expressive eyes. This friendly company also includes ringed seal. She is smaller than her brothers, but more mobile and knows how to dig holes in the snow.
Walruses
The walrus is the closest relative of seals.
He, like them, is a pinniped, but is larger in size. The length of its body is close to 3 meters, and its weight fluctuates within a ton.
In addition, this animal has powerful fangs. He needs them in order to dig up the seabed and thus obtain shellfish for himself, which serves as his main food. Walruses often use their tusks for self-defense and to attack other animals. After all, he is a real predator and can easily eat a gaping seal or seal.
Polar bear
All Arctic animals fear, and therefore respect, the polar bear.
This largest land predator. Its body length reaches 2.5 meters, weight half a ton. It attacks seals, seals, and walruses. Its strong teeth are familiar to polar dolphins, and the arctic fox always feeds near this mighty beast, receiving scraps from the master's table. The polar bear swims, dives and runs fast. It is the most formidable and dangerous predator of the Arctic lands.
Cetaceans
Of the order of cetaceans living in the Arctic, the narwhal is of undoubted interest.
He owes his popularity to his long horn, which sticks straight out of the mouth. This horn reaches a length of 3 meters and its weight is 10 kg. It is nothing more than an ordinary tooth that has grown to such a huge size. This tooth does not cause any inconvenience to the mammal, but why it is needed - there is no definite answer, although there are a lot of different assumptions.
The bowhead whale is a relative of the narwhal.
But its size is many times larger, and instead of a tooth it has a whalebone and a huge tongue in its mouth. It is with his tongue that he licks the plankton stuck in the whalebone plates.
This huge animal is absolutely harmless, northern waters it has been living for many thousands of years.
Belukha or polar dolphin is also a representative of this company.
This is a large animal - its weight reaches 2 tons, and its length is 6 meters. The beluga whale loves to eat fish, but the killer whale never refuses to try the polar dolphin. It rightfully occupies one of the first places among the strongest and largest sea predators.
She is a frequent visitor to Arctic waters. Not only beluga whales, but also walruses, seals and seals die from its sharp teeth.
Arctic fox
Arctic animals would have lost a lot if there had not been such a predator as the arctic fox among them.
Thanks to its beautiful fur, this animal is known far beyond the cold region. It is known in Africa, Australia, and Brazil - after all, women wear arctic fox coats in all corners of the world. The arctic fox is a very small animal. Its weight barely reaches 5 kg, and its height at the withers does not exceed 30 cm.
But this baby is very resilient and fast. In addition, he loves to travel. It can be found in almost all corners of the Arctic. He often accompanies the polar bear, prudently keeping a respectful distance from the powerful predator.
Lemming
This small rodent, slightly larger than a mouse, is of great importance for the animal world of the Arctic.
Almost all animals feed on it, and the polar owl population directly depends on its numbers. In those years when there are few lemmings, the bird of prey does not nest at all. The Arctic fox also loses interest in traveling if the number of small rodents increases sharply.
Arctic fauna - mammals, birds, predators and marine animals living in the Arctic
Reindeer also eat it, although their diet mainly consists of plants.
Reindeer
A beautiful, fast, graceful animal, dressed in a warm short fur coat, and even having branched antlers on its head, is none other than a reindeer.
He lives in the cold tundra, eats moss, which is also called reindeer moss, and feels quite comfortable in the Arctic region. Reindeer also inhabit many islands of the huge cold body of water.
This animal weighs about two hundred kilograms, and the height at the withers does not exceed one and a half meters. Reindeer have very wide hooves. Thanks to them, he easily breaks the snow in winter and gets to the withered vegetation hiding under the snow coat.
Animals
Arctic marine environment is the distribution area of many unique species animals, among which the rarest are the polar bear, narwhal, walrus and beluga whale. More than 150 species of fish inhabit Arctic and subarctic waters, including the most important fisheries, cod and American flounder.
It is the fishery complex of the Arctic zone that provides up to 15% of the catch of aquatic biological resources and produced in Russian Federation fish products.
Polar bear
The polar bear is the most powerful and powerful land predator on the planet.
Neither lions, nor tigers, nor brown bears can compare with him. In the largest individuals, the body length can reach 3 meters, the weight can reach up to a ton. Basically, the length is 2-2.5 meters, weight 450-500 kilograms. The height at the withers of these animals is usually 1.5 meters.
Females are smaller than males. They weigh almost one and a half times less.
The habitat of this formidable predator is limited to the Arctic zone. In the north, the polar bear reaches 88° N. w, in the south it reaches Newfoundland. On the mainland it can only be found in the Arctic desert. It does not enter the tundra. Drifting ice - native home for a polar bear. Sometimes they carry a traveler to the Bering and even the Sea of Okhotsk.
Finding himself in such a situation, he always strives to return back. Obeying his inner instinct, the bear strictly follows the north and, as a rule, reaches the Arctic lands after long days of ordeal and wandering.
Nature carefully covered the body of the polar bear with warm white fur.
Sometimes it gets diluted yellow spots. The bright summer sun's rays are to blame for this, affecting the bear's coat in such a unique way. The skin of the animal is black or very dark color. Beneath it is a thick layer of subcutaneous fat. In the back of the body its thickness can reach 10 cm. On the chest and shoulders it is 3-4 cm.
The polar bear is an excellent hunter.
He has perfectly developed vision and sense of smell. He can sense prey a kilometer away and see it several kilometers away. The beast is characterized by patience and endurance. He can lie for hours near a hole in the ice and wait for a seal's head to appear from the water. As soon as the victim sticks his nose out to take a healing breath of air, a powerful and swift paw strike follows.
The bear pulls the stunned seal onto the ice, but does not eat all of it, but only its skin and fat. As a rule, he leaves the meat to the arctic foxes. He eats it only in hungry and difficult times.
This predator hunts well in water. Sometimes he even dives under an ice floe on which there are several seals. With his powerful body, the polar bear turns it over, and the poor pinnipeds that find themselves in the water immediately become easy prey for the mighty beast.
He doesn't shy away from walruses either. True, it does not attack large males - it is limited to young animals or sick and weak animals.
Walrus
The walrus is a unique animal of the Arctic.
It belongs to the group of pinnipeds, the walrus family. The family has one genus and one species. The species is divided into two subspecies: the Pacific walrus and the Atlantic. The animal's habitat is vast and covers almost most of the coastal waters of the Arctic Ocean. Walrus rookeries can be found on the western and eastern shores of Greenland, Spitsbergen and Iceland. Pinniped giants live on Novaya Zemlya and the Kara Sea.
The walrus is a very large animal.
The body length of some individuals can reach 5 meters, and the weight can reach one and a half tons. The average length of a male is 3.5 meters, weight fluctuates within a ton. Females are smaller. Their usual length is, as a rule, 2.8-2.9 meters, weight is about 700-800 kg. All adult walruses have tusks protruding from their mouths. Their length reaches 60-80 cm, and each weighs at least 3 kg.
This pinniped has a very wide snout.
A thick and long mustache grows on the upper lip. They are called vibrissae, they are somewhat reminiscent of a brush and are indispensable for detecting underwater mollusks. The eyes are small and myopic. The walrus sees very poorly, but he has an excellent sense of smell. There are no external ears, and short yellow-brown hair grows on the skin.
With age, hair loss occurs. Surviving walruses have completely bare skin.
The walrus is a herd animal.
Its habitat extends to coastal waters, where the depth does not exceed 50 meters. This is the thickness of water that is considered optimal for it. The pinniped finds food on the seabed. Sensitive vibrissae help him in this. The priority is undoubtedly given to shellfish.
The animal “plows” the muddy soil with its fangs and many shells rise up. The walrus rubs them with its powerful, calloused front flippers and thus cracks the shell. It settles to the bottom, and gelatinous bodies remain floating in the water column. The pinniped eats them and again sinks its fangs into the sea soil.
He needs to eat at least 50 kg of shellfish per day to be satisfied. Walruses don't like fish. They eat it very rarely, when there is simply no other choice.
Common seal
The common seal lives in the eastern and western parts of the Arctic Ocean.
In the east it is the Bering Sea, the Chukchi Sea and the Beaufort Sea. To the west are the Barents Sea and the southern coastal waters of Greenland. It is also found in other Arctic seas, but in small quantities. It also inhabits the northern coastal waters of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and is also a permanent resident of the Baltic Sea.
In my own way appearance seals from different regions differ little. Except that animals living in the east or Pacific seals are somewhat larger than their western (Atlantic) counterparts. In total, today there are 500 thousand heads.
The body length of a common seal ranges from 1.85 m, weight is 160 kg. Males are slightly larger than females, but otherwise are practically the same.
Characteristic distinctive feature These animals have V-shaped nostrils. By them you can immediately recognize this animal, regardless of the color of the skin. The color can be different. It contains brown, gray and red tones. The predominant color of the coat is reddish-gray. On it, throughout the body, small brown or black spots are scattered, resembling oblong smears.
There are patterns of black and brown spots on the back. Quite often, seals have black spots on their face, head, and tail. Cubs are born the same color as their parents. They do not have white fur in the first weeks of life, like some other species.
The common seal feeds on fish. Its menu includes smelt, cod, navaga, capelin, and herring.
He does not disdain invertebrates either. This beast lives in coastal waters, ignoring long journeys. At the end of summer and autumn it lies on spits and shallows subject to ebbs and flows.
Avoids open areas and wide banks. Swims and dives well.
Narwhal
In the order of cetaceans there is a huge number various types mammals. The most notable among them are narwhals.
They owe their popularity to their long horn or tusk, which protrudes straight from their mouth and reaches a length of 3 meters. This tusk consists of bone tissue, but along with its hardness, it is extremely flexible. In reality, it is nothing more than one of the two upper teeth, pierced upper lip and climbed out.
This tusk weighs 10 kg.
The narwhal is a fairly large animal.
Some representatives of this species reach 5 meters in length. The usual length ranges from 4 meters. The male weighs one and a half tons. Females weigh from 900 kg to a ton. For some reason, this mammal does not have a dorsal fin.
Only side fins and a powerful tail are available. The narwhal's head is round, with a prominent frontal tubercle.
The mouth is low and very small. The belly of the mammal is light in color. The back and head are much darker.
The entire upper body is covered with grayish-brown spots different sizes, making the back and head even darker. The eyes are small, deeply recessed, with actively circulating intraocular fluid. That is, they are fully adapted to the harsh Arctic conditions, and are also endowed with acute vision.
Narwhals feed mainly on mollusks and crustaceans.
Fish is also included in their diet. The same cod, flounder, halibut and goby are an integral part of the menu of these animals. When hunting bottom fish the male often uses his tusk. He scares the victim with it, forcing it to rise from the bottom.
Arctic fox
The arctic fox or polar fox belongs to the species of arctic foxes of the canine family and is a predator. Its habitat is very extensive.
It lives in the polar tundra of Eurasia and North America, Greenland and Spitsbergen. Common on Novaya Zemlya, Severnaya Zemlya and Franz Josef Land. The islands of the Northern Canadian archipelago are also his ancestral patrimony. It also lives on many other islands of the Arctic Ocean. In winter, he migrates in search of a better life both to the north and to the south. He can also be found among arctic ice, invariably following the polar bear, both in the lower reaches of the Amur and in the harsh Baikal taiga.
It travels thousands of kilometers and can reach Alaska from Taimyr in a few months.
The arctic fox cannot boast large sizes. The length of its body ranges from 50 to 75 cm. The fluffy tail is 25-30 cm long. The height at the withers reaches 30 cm, the weight does not exceed 10 kg.
For the most part, males, in fertile, nourishing times, weigh 5-6 kg. Females are more elegant - their weight is 500 grams less. The soles of this animal's paws are securely covered with hair.
Prudent nature did this so that the animal would not freeze them. The ears are also covered with thick fur and are quite small. This does not prevent the arctic fox from hearing perfectly. He also has an excellent sense of smell, but his vision, like that of all canines, is not sharp. The muzzle is shortened, the body is squat. If you need to give a voice, then the polar fox yelps.
It can also growl to scare the enemy.
With the onset of cold weather, the tundra becomes hungry. The furry predator is forced to leave its habitat. Some Arctic foxes rush north to the Arctic ice zone. Animals settle down near polar bears and relentlessly follow them. They are excellent hunters.
They catch seals, narwhals, and beluga whales. After eating the skin and fat of their victims, the meat is left for the arctic fox. Another part of the polar foxes is moving south. They reach taiga places. There is a lot of food there, unlike the bare tundra, but there are also many large predators that pose a real threat to the small animal.
Wolves, foxes, wolverines destroy arctic foxes. Those who manage to survive rush back to the tundra in the spring.
Animals of the Arctic deserts of Russia
They return to their labyrinths, and the seasonal life cycle repeats again.
Lemming
A small, motley-furred animal from the family of rodents of the vole subfamily is called a lemming.
Its habitat extends to the tundra regions of Eurasia and North America. This animal also inhabits the islands of the Arctic Ocean. It can be found throughout almost the entire coastal area of the Arctic from the White Sea to the Bering Sea. He is a native inhabitant of Novaya Zemlya, Severnaya Zemlya, the New Siberian Islands and Wrangel Island. This baby lives almost everywhere where there is at least some vegetation. It has several species - all of them are perfectly adapted to harsh polar conditions.
The color of the lemming's fur can be variegated, monochrome gray or gray-brown.
In some species, the fur becomes lighter in color in winter. The ungulate lemming's skin turns white. The animal almost completely merges with the snow cover. The rodent's body length ranges from 10 to 15 cm. Weight is about 50-70 grams. It has short legs, a tail no longer than 2 cm, and tiny ears completely hidden in fur.
Lemmings generally lead a solitary lifestyle, but some species form small groups.
They live in burrows and roost under the snow in winter. They eat plant foods. Their diet contains sedge, moss, leaves and young shoots of willow and birch. The rodent also consumes cloudberries, blueberries, and other berries. In healthy years it multiplies rapidly. In times of famine, there is a massive exodus of this animal from its habitat. Lemmings make their way to richer regions one by one. Near rivers and straits they accumulate in huge flocks.
The rodent swims very well, so it successfully overcomes water obstacles. But in any case, many animals die from the teeth and claws of land and water predators.
Reindeer
Reindeer is a cloven-hoofed mammal of the deer family.
Its distribution area covers the lands of the northern part of Eurasia and North America. It can be found in the west of the Kola Peninsula, in Karelia, Kamchatka, and Western Chukotka. It also exists in the north of Sakhalin. It lives in large numbers on the islands of the Arctic Ocean and thrives in Alaska and northern Canada.
The body length of the animal is 2-2.2 meters. Weight ranges from 120 to 210 kg.
The height at the withers reaches 1.4 meters. There are also shorter deer. Their height does not exceed 1.2 meters. Reindeer, living in the tundra, as well as on the islands of the Arctic Ocean, are inferior in size to their southern counterparts, who prefer to live in taiga areas. The body of the artiodactyl is elongated and squat. A mane grows on the animal’s neck. It is not very long, and in some deer it is almost invisible.
The reindeer's diet consists mainly of plants.
In first place is moss or reindeer moss. The animal takes it out from under its snow coat, spreading it with its hooves. Other lichens, grass, and berries are also eaten.
Deer do not disdain mushrooms either. Eats eggs of birds, gaping rodents. It can also feast on an adult bird if given the opportunity. In winter, it quenches its thirst by eating snow.
Drinks sea water, and in large quantities, to maintain salt balance in the body. For the same reason, it gnaws on shed antlers. Sometimes deer gnaw each other's antlers precisely because of a lack of mineral salts in their diet.
Pink seagull
The pink gull belongs to the gull genus of the gull family.
This small, beautiful and fragile bird lives in the harsh regions of the Arctic. She chooses nesting places in the lower reaches of cold northern rivers.
She builds nests on the islands and banks of these deep streams flowing into the Arctic Ocean.
Indigirka, Kolyma, Yana, Anadyr - these are the rivers that are her home. She also loves Lake Taimyr, as well as the adjacent tundra. It is the tundra and forest-tundra, in the summer, that are its habitat. The pink gull also likes Greenland, especially the west coast. In winter, the baby moves to the sea. It can be seen in both the Norwegian Sea and the Bering Sea.
This graceful bird travels through almost all ice-free waters of the Arctic.
The body length of the pink gull does not exceed 35 cm. Weight is 250 grams. The back of the bird and the top of the wings are gray-gray in color. The head is pale pink - almost white, the chest is pinkish, the beak is black, and the legs are red.
The neck, in summer, is edged by a narrow black stripe. In winter it disappears. The tail has a wedge-shaped appearance. The pink gull swims beautifully in river water.
In the seas she prefers to sit on ice floes: sea swimming is not attractive to her due to the low water temperature.
During the nesting period along the banks of northern rivers, the pink gull feeds on insects and small mollusks.
In the sea, the bird eats fish and crustaceans. Sometimes it flies up to people’s homes in order to profit from food near them. She herself also becomes the object of hunting. The same Arctic foxes eat the eggs of these birds, and reindeer do not refuse them either. The person also has a hand in this. Adult seagulls are exterminated by people because of their beautiful and original color. From killed birds, craftsmen make stuffed animals that stand good money, which in no way can serve as a justification for such activities.
Guillemot
The guillemot belongs to a genus of birds from the auk family.
She is a native inhabitant of the polar region. All of its business activity takes place at the edge of drifting ice. She hunts near them and nests on inaccessible rocks, which are located very close to the endless ice field. The bird lives on the shores of Greenland, Novaya Zemlya, and Iceland. Her homeland is Spitsbergen and Franz Josef Land.
In the east, its life zone is limited to the Aleutian Islands and Kodiak Island off the southern coast of Alaska. It densely populated almost the entire northern coast of Eurasia, which indicates its large population. Today there are more than 3 million of these birds, which is really a lot, but at the same time, for the vast Arctic, the figure is not very significant.
The bird is of medium size.
The length of her body ranges from 40 to 50 cm. Weight ranges from 800 grams to one and a half kilograms. The wings are small in relation to the body.
Therefore, it is difficult for the bird to take off. To rise from the water into the air, she needs to run at least 10 meters along the water surface. But it is convenient for her to start her flight from high rocks. She rushes down, spreading her wings, and soaring above the ground smoothly turns into flight. In its plumage, the guillemot tends to the classical style. The upper part of her body is black, the lower part is white. The beak is also black, but the neck changes color depending on the time of year.
In winter it is snow-white, and in the warm season it turns black. There are two types of guillemots: thin-billed and thick-billed.
They only hunt underwater.
They dive to a depth of 15-20 meters. Fish are caught in this layer of water. There are guillemots, capelin, cod, cod, and loves herring and sand lance. In addition to fish, they also get into her stomach sea worms, shrimp, crabs. During a long polar day, the bird eats at least 300 grams of various marine life.
It is noteworthy that about 200 grams of waste product comes out back through the intestines. It contains many organic substances that serve as nutritious food for the same fish and shellfish. The latter actively multiply and again end up in the bird’s stomach.
This once again proves that nature is very rational and practical.
polar owl
Polar owl or White Owl, as it is also called, belongs to the genus of eagle owls of the owl order. This is a large bird whose habitat extends to the polar tundra of Eurasia and North America, as well as the islands of the Arctic Ocean.
This bird lives in Greenland, on Novaya Zemlya, on Severnaya Zemlya. She is constantly seen on the New Siberian Islands and on Wrangel Island. It lives in Spitsbergen, Franz Josef Land, Jan Mayen Island, Alaska and the Bering Sea islands.
It is present on the islands of Kolguev and Vaygach, that is, it practically populates the entire Arctic, without losing even the most remote and small areas of land from its zone of attention.
The polar owl has a fairly large body. Its length in males is 55-65 cm, females are larger. They reach a length of 70 cm. The weight of males ranges from 2-2.5 kg - the fairer sex is heavier.
Sometimes females weigh 3.2 kg, but more often their weight corresponds to 3 kg. The wingspan reaches 165 cm. The bird has a round head and bright yellow eyes. The ears are very small - they are almost invisible. The beak is painted black. Moreover, it is almost completely covered with feathers. Only its tip is visible. The legs are covered with long tufts of feathers, very similar to wool.
The claws are black like the beak.
The polar owl clearly gravitates towards open spaces. The bird always hunts from the ground, perching on elevated place. She surveys the surroundings, looks out for prey, and when she sees a rodent, she heavily flaps her wings, flies up to him and grabs the doomed victim with her sharp claws.
Small creatures are swallowed whole. Large prey is torn into pieces and eaten. Wool and bones are regurgitated in the form of small lumps. A polar owl eats at least 4 rodents a day to get enough food. It prefers to hunt in the early morning or evening hours.
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