White bird of the Arctic: what allows the seagull to constantly live among the ice. Animals of the Arctic. Description, names and features of the animals of the Arctic Arctic birds
Today, the Arctic is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world. We are talking about five animals of the Arctic, which we may soon lose due to oil production in the Arctic.
The Arctic is one of the few corners of the Earth where nature has been preserved almost in its original form. Polar bears, reindeer, walruses, seals, 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 projects on the Arctic shelf can lead to a reduction in the number or even complete disappearance 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 recognizable by its two powerful tusks, which can reach 80 cm in length. To pull its massive body out of the water, the walrus leans with these tusks on the hard surface of the ice. The limbs of the walrus are so mobile that it can scratch its neck with the claws of its hind flippers. On the upper lip of the walrus grow elastic thick "whiskers" - vibrissae. The abundance of nerve endings makes them indispensable for "hunting" for shellfish. The walrus is actually looking for them by touch.Mikhail Cherkasov/WWF Russia
One of the main threats to walruses is climate change. The life cycle of the animal is closely connected with ice: walruses use it as a platform for rest and reproduction. Another serious threat is the risk of pollution of the marine environment, the bottom and coasts by oil 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 it is here that the walrus finds its food - benthic invertebrates.
White seagull
This is the only almost completely white bird in the Arctic. Gulls nest in colonies on the plain or on the 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. Often the bird accompanies the polar bear, feeding on the remains of its prey. 
Peter Prokosch/WWF
Over the past decades, the number of white gulls has declined. One of the reasons scientists call warming in the Arctic. Birds are also vulnerable to chemical pollution of the environment, which is confirmed by the detection of high levels of mercury in eggs. And oil spills from medium to large ones cause mass death of birds.
Narwhal
The narwhal, or unicorn, is a unique marine mammal found only in the Arctic. In Svalbard (Norway), the species is under special protection. This representative of toothed whales boasts only two upper teeth, one of which in males grows into a spiral 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 exactly known. It can be a kind of "signal antenna", a tournament weapon and a tool for breaking through thin ice. 
Bryan and Cherry Alexander/WWF
Very sensitive to underwater noise. This means that intensive shipping, as well as all kinds of construction work in their habitats, can negatively affect animals. Not to mention the possible consequences of oil spills. In marine mammals, oil products cause irritation to the skin, eyes and a decrease in the ability to swim. The fat layer also suffers: it loses its ability to retain heat and water, which disrupts the thermoregulation of the animal.
bowhead whale
This animal was recently considered an extinct species. Today it is known that there are several hundred individuals left in the world. The low reproductive potential does not allow the species to quickly restore 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 in the time of Napoleon lives in the waters of the North Atlantic. 
Martha Holmes/WWF
The species is universally protected, but the animal is not immune from accidental falling into drifter fishing nets. Also, whales are very sensitive to oil spills, since the oil film destroys their food base - plankton. When ingested by a whale, oil causes gastrointestinal bleeding, kidney failure, liver intoxication, and blood pressure disorders. Vapors from oil vapors lead to 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. Ecologists warn that by 2050 the population could decline by more than two-thirds. 
Maxim Deminov
Today, a fairly large number of a wide variety of living creatures live in the northern regions, and beyond the Arctic Circle, in areas where almost eternal frosts reign, there are also inhabitants represented by some birds and animals. Their body has managed to adapt to adverse climatic conditions, as well as a rather specific diet.
mammals
The vast expanses of the harsh Arctic are characterized by snow-covered deserts, very cold winds and permafrost. Precipitation in such areas is very rare, and sunlight may not penetrate the darkness of polar nights for several months. Mammals living in such conditions are forced to spend a difficult winter period among the snow and ice that burn with cold.
Arctic fox, or polar fox
Small representatives of the fox species (Alopex lagopus) have long inhabited the territory of the Arctic. Predators from the Canine family in appearance resemble a fox. The average body length of an adult animal varies within 50-75 cm, with a tail length of 25-30 cm and a height at the withers of 20-30 cm. The body weight of a sexually mature male is approximately 3.3-3.5 kg, but the weight of some individuals reaches 9.0 kg. The females are noticeably smaller. The arctic fox has a squat body, a short muzzle and rounded ears that protrude slightly from the coat, which prevents frostbite.
White or polar bear
The polar bear is a northern mammal (Ursus maritimus) from the Bear family, is a close relative of the brown bear and the largest land predator on the planet. The body length of the beast reaches 3.0 meters with a mass of up to a ton. Adult males weigh approximately 450-500 kg, while females are noticeably smaller. The height of the animal at the withers varies most often in the range of 130-150 cm. Representatives of the species are characterized by a flat head and a long neck, and translucent hairs can only transmit UV rays, which gives the predator's coat thermal insulation properties.
It will be interesting: why are polar bears white
Sea leopard
Representatives of the species of true seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) owe their unusual name to the original spotted skin and very predatory behavior. The sea leopard has a streamlined body that allows it to develop very high speed in the water. The head is flattened, and the forelimbs are noticeably elongated, due to which the movement is carried out by strong synchronous blows. The body length of an adult animal is 3.0-4.0 meters. The upper part of the body is dark gray in color, and the lower part is silvery white. There are gray spots on the sides and head.
Snow sheep, or chubuk
Artiodactyl (Ovis nivicola) belongs to the genus of sheep. Such an animal has a medium size and a dense physique, a thick and short neck, as well as a small head with rather short ears. The limbs of the ram are thick and not high. The body length of adult males is approximately 140-188 cm, with a height at the withers in the range of 76-112 cm and a body weight of not more than 56-150 kg. Adult females are slightly smaller than males. Diploid cells in representatives of this species contain 52 chromosomes, which is less than in any other modern species of sheep.
musk ox
Large hoofed mammal (Ovibos moschatus) belongs to the musk ox genus and the Bovid family. The height of adults at the withers is 132-138 cm, with a weight in the range of 260-650 kg. The weight of females most often does not exceed 55-60% of the weight of the male. The musk ox has a hump-back of the neck in the shoulder area, passing into the back narrow part. The legs are small, stocky, with large and rounded hooves. The head is elongated and very massive, with sharp and rounded horns that grow in the animal until the age of six years. The hairline is represented by long and thick hair, which hangs almost to ground level.
arctic hare
Hare (Lepus arcticus), formerly considered a subspecies of the white hare, but today distinguished as a separate species. The mammalian animal has a small and fluffy tail, as well as long, powerful hind legs, which allow the hare to easily jump even in high snow. Relatively short ears help reduce heat transfer, and abundant fur allows the northern inhabitant to endure very cold quite easily. The long and straight incisors are used by the hare to feed on the sparse and frozen arctic vegetation.
Weddell seal
The representative of the family of true seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) belongs to not too widespread and rather large predatory mammals in terms of body size. The average length of an adult is 3.5 meters. The animal is able to stay under the water column for about an hour, and the seal obtains food in the form of fish and cephalopods at a depth of up to 750-800 meters. Weddell seals quite often have broken fangs or incisors, which is explained by their making special blowholes through young ice.
Wolverine
The predatory mammal (Gulo gulo) belongs to the mustelid family. A rather large animal in its size in the family is inferior only to the sea otter. The weight of an adult is 11-19 kg, but females are slightly smaller than males. The body length varies within 70-86 cm, with a tail length of 18-23 cm. In appearance, the wolverine most likely looks like a badger or a bear with a squat and awkward body, short legs and an arched back curved upwards. A characteristic feature of the predator is the presence of large and hooked claws.
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birds of the north
Many feathered representatives of the north feel quite comfortable in extreme climatic and weather conditions. Due to the specifics of natural features, more than a hundred different species of birds are able to survive on the territory of almost permafrost. The southern border of the Arctic territory coincides with the tundra zone. In the polar summer, several million different migratory and flightless birds nest here.
Seagulls
Numerous representatives of the genus of birds (Larus) from the Gull family live not only in the sea, but also inhabit inland waters in inhabited areas. Many species belong to the category of synanthropic birds. Typically, a gull is a large or medium-sized bird with white or gray plumage, often with black markings on the head or wings. One of the significant distinguishing characteristics is represented by a strong, slightly curved beak at the end, and very well developed swimming membranes on the legs.
white goose
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A medium-sized migratory bird (Anser caerulescens) from the genus of geese (Anser) and the family of ducks (Anatidae) is characterized by predominantly white plumage. The body of an adult individual is 60-75 cm long. The mass of such a bird rarely exceeds 3.0 kg. The wingspan of the white goose is approximately 145-155 cm. The black color in the northern bird is predominant only around the beak area and at the ends of the wings. The paws and beak of such a feathered have a pink color. Often in adult birds there is a spot of golden yellow color.
whooper swan
A large waterfowl (Cygnus cygnus) from the duck family has an elongated body and a long neck, as well as short legs carried back. The plumage of the bird contains a significant amount of down. The lemon-yellow beak has a black tip. The plumage is white. Juveniles are distinguished by smoky gray plumage with a darker head area. Males and females in appearance practically do not differ from each other.
Gaga
Feathered representatives of the genus (Somateria) belong to the duck family. Such birds are united today into three species of rather large diving ducks, which nest mainly in the territories of the Arctic coasts and tundra. All species are characterized by a wedge-shaped structure of the beak with a wide nail, which occupies the entire upper part of the beak. On the lateral parts of the mandible there is a deep notch covered with plumage. The bird comes to the coastline only for rest and breeding.
Thick-billed murre
The seabird (Uria lomvia) of the auk family (Alcidae) is a medium-sized species. The bird has a weight of one and a half kilograms, and in appearance resembles thin-billed guillemots. The main difference is represented by a thicker beak with white stripes, black-brown dark plumage of the upper part and a complete absence of grayish shading on the sides of the body. Thick-billed murres are usually noticeably larger than slender-billed murres.
Antarctic tern
Northern bird (Sterna vittata) belongs to the family of gulls (Laridae) and order Charadriiformes. The Arctic tern annually migrates from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Such a small-sized feathered representative of the genus Tern has a body length of 31-38 cm. The beak of an adult bird is dark red or black. Adult terns are characterized by white plumage, while chicks are characterized by gray feathers. There are black feathers in the head area.
White or polar owl
A rather rare bird (Bubo scandiacus, Nyctea scandiaca) belongs to the category of the largest birds of the order of owls in the tundra. Snowy owls have round heads and bright yellow irises. Adult females are larger than mature males, and the average wingspan of a bird is approximately 142-166 cm. Adults are characterized by white plumage with dark transverse streaks, which provides excellent predator camouflage against a snowy background.
arctic partridge
The Willow Grouse (Lagopus lagopus) is a bird of the Grouse subfamily and the order Galliformes. Among many other galliformes, it is the white partridge that is characteristically distinguished by the presence of pronounced seasonal dimorphism. The color of this feathered bird varies depending on the weather. The winter plumage of the bird is white, with black outer tail feathers and densely feathered legs. With the onset of spring, the neck and head of males acquire a brick-brown coloration, which contrasts sharply with the white plumage of the body.
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Reptiles and amphibians
Too severe climatic conditions of the Arctic do not allow the widest spread of various cold-blooded animals, including reptiles and amphibians. At the same time, the northern territories have become quite suitable habitat for four species of lizards.
viviparous lizard
The scaly reptile (Zootoca vivipara) belongs to the family Real lizards and the monotypic genus Forest lizards (Zootoca). For some time, such a reptile belonged to the genus Green lizards (Lacerta). A well-swimming animal has a body size in the range of 15-18 cm, of which approximately 10-11 cm falls on the tail. The body color is brown, with the presence of dark stripes that stretch along the sides and in the middle of the back. The lower part of the body is light in color, with a greenish-yellowish, brick red or orange tinge. Males of the species have a more slender physique and a bright color.
Siberian newt
The four-toed newt (Salamandrella keyserlingii) is a very striking member of the salamander family. An adult tailed amphibian differs in body size of 12-13 cm, of which less than half falls on the tail. The animal has a wide and flattened head, as well as a laterally compressed tail, which is completely devoid of leathery-type fin folds. The color of the reptile has a grayish-brown or brownish color with small spots and a fairly light longitudinal stripe in the back.
Semirechensky frogtooth
The Dzungarian newt (Ranodon sibiricus) is a tailed amphibian from the salamander family (Hynobiidae). An endangered and very rare species today has a body length in the range of 15-18 cm, but some individuals reach a size of 20 cm, of which the tail part occupies a little more than half. The average body weight of a sexually mature individual can vary within 20-25 g. On the sides of the body there are from 11 to 13 intercostal and clearly visible grooves. The tail part is laterally compressed and has a developed fin fold in the back. The color of the reptile varies from yellow-brown to dark olive and greenish-gray, often with spots.
tree frog
Tailless amphibian (Rana sylvatica) is able to freeze in the harsh winter period to the state of ice. An amphibian in this state does not breathe, and the heart and circulatory system stop. When warming, the frog “thaws” rather quickly, which allows it to return to normal life. Representatives of the species are distinguished by large eyes, a distinctly triangular muzzle, as well as a yellow-brown, gray, orange, pink, brown or dark gray-green back area. The main background is complemented by blackish or dark brown spots.
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Arctic fish
For the coldest regions of our planet, not only many species of birds are endemic, but also various marine life. Arctic waters are home to walruses and seals, some species of cetaceans, including baleen whales, narwhals, killer whales and beluga whales, as well as several varieties of fish. In total, the territory of ice and snow is inhabited by a little more than four hundred species of fish.
arctic char
Ray-finned fish (Salvelinus alpinus) belong to the salmon family and are represented by many forms: anadromous, lake-river and lake chars. Anadromous chars are large in size and silvery in color, have a dark blue back and sides covered with light and rather large spots. Widespread lacustrine arctic charr are typical predators that spawn and feed in lakes. Lake-river forms are characterized by a smaller body. At the moment, the Arctic charr population is on the decline.
polar sharks
Somniose sharks (Somniosidae) belong to the family of sharks and the order of catranoids, which includes seven genera and about two dozen species. The natural habitat is arctic and subantarctic waters in any oceans. Such sharks inhabit continental and island slopes, as well as shelves and open ocean waters. At the same time, the maximum recorded body dimensions do not exceed 6.4 meters. The spines located at the base of the dorsal fin are usually absent, and the edge of the upper lobe of the caudal fin is characterized by a notch.
Arctic cod or polar cod
Arctic cold-water and cryopelagic fish (Boreogadus saida) belongs to the cod family (Gadidae) and the cod-like order (Gadiformes). Today it is the only species from the monotypic genus of polar cod (Boreogadus). The body of an adult individual has a maximum body length of up to 40 cm, which has a significant thinning towards the tail. The caudal fin is characterized by a deep notch. The head is large, with a slightly protruding lower jaw, large eyes and a small mustache at the level of the chin. The top of the head and back are greyish-brown, while the belly and flanks are a silvery grey.
Eel-pout
Marine fish (Zoarces viviparus) belongs to the eelpout family and perch-like order. The aquatic predator has a maximum body length of 50-52 cm, but usually the size of an adult does not exceed 28-30 cm. The eelpout has a rather long dorsal fin with short spiny rays at the back. The anal and dorsal fins are fused together with the caudal fin.
Pacific herring
Ray-finned fish (Clupea pallasii) belongs to the herring family (Clupeidae) and is a valuable commercial object. Representatives of the species are distinguished by rather weak development of the ventral keel, which is very clearly visible only between the anal and ventral fins. Typically pelagic schooling fish are characterized by high locomotor activity and constant collective migration from wintering and feeding areas to spawning areas.
Haddock
Ray-finned fish (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) belongs to the cod family (Gadidae) and the monotypic genus Melanogrammus. The body length of an adult varies between 100-110 cm, but typical sizes are up to 50-75 cm, with an average weight of 2-3 kg. The body of the fish is relatively high and slightly flattened on the sides. The back is dark gray with a purple or lilac hue. The sides are noticeably lighter, with a silvery tint, and the belly has a silvery or milky white color. The haddock body has a black lateral line, below which there is a large black or blackish spot.
Nelma
Fish (Stenodus leucichthys nelma) belongs to the salmon family and is a subspecies of the whitefish. Freshwater or semi-anadromous fish from the Salmon order reaches a length of 120-130 cm, with a maximum body weight of 48-50 kg. A very valuable species of commercial fish is today a popular object of breeding. Nelma differs from other members of the family in the peculiarities of the structure of the mouth, which gives this fish a rather predatory appearance, compared with related species.
arctic omul
Commercial valuable fish (lat. Coregonus autumnalis) belongs to the whitefish genus and the salmon family. Anadromous type of northern fish feeds in the coastal waters of the Arctic Ocean. The average body length of an adult individual reaches 62-64 cm, with a weight in the range of 2.8-3.0 kg, but larger individuals are found. A widespread aquatic predator preys on a wide variety of large representatives of benthic crustaceans, and also eats juvenile fish and small zooplankton.
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Spiders
Arachnids are obligate predators, demonstrating the highest potential in terms of mastering the complex Arctic environment. The Arctic fauna is represented not only by a significant number of boreal forms of spiders entering from the southern part, but also by purely Arctic species of arthropods - hypoarctics, as well as hemiarcts and ewarcts. Typical and southern tundras are rich in a wide variety of spiders, differing in size, hunting method and biotopic distribution.
Orioneta
Representatives of the genus of spiders belonging to the family Linyphiidae. Such an arachnid arthropod was first described in 1894, and today about three dozen species have been assigned to this genus.
Masikia
Representatives of the genus of spiders belonging to the family Linyphiidae. For the first time, an inhabitant of the Arctic territories was described in 1984. Only two species are currently assigned to this genus.
Tmetits nigriceps
A spider of this genus (Tmeticus nigriceps) lives in the tundra zone, it is distinguished by an orange prosoma, with a blackish-cephalic region. The legs of the spider are orange, and the opisthosoma is black. The average body length of an adult male is 2.3-2.7 mm, and females - within 2.9-3.3 mm.
Gibothorax tchernovi
The spind species belonging to the taxonomic classification Нangmatspinnen (linyphiidae) belongs to the arthropod arachnids of the genus Gibothorax. The scientific name of this species was first published only in 1989.
Perro Polaris
One of the understudied spider species to date, first described in 1986. Representatives of this species are assigned to the genus Perrault, and are also included in the family Linyphiidae.
sea spider
Sea spiders have been discovered relatively recently in the polar Arctic and in the waters of the Southern Ocean. Such aquatic inhabitants are gigantic in size, and the length of some of them exceeds a quarter of a meter.
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Insects
A large number of insectivorous birds in the northern regions is due to the presence of numerous insects - mosquitoes, midges, flies and beetles. The world of insects in the Arctic is very diverse, especially in the polar tundra, where countless mosquitoes, gadflies and small midges appear with the onset of the summer season.
Burning midge
The insect (Culicoides pulicaris) is capable of producing several generations during the warm season, and today it is a massive and common blood-sucking biting biting, not found only in the tundra.
Karamory
Insects (Tipulidae) belong to the Diptera family and the suborder Long-whiskers (Nematocera). The body length of many centipede mosquitoes varies between 2-60 mm, but sometimes there are larger members of the order.
Chironomids
The mosquito (Chironomidae) belongs to the Diptera family and owes its name to the characteristic sound that the insect's wings make. Adults have underdeveloped mouth organs and are harmless to humans.
Wingless springtails
The northern insect (Collembola) is a small and very nimble arthropod, primarily wingless, usually resembling a tail with a common hopping appendage.
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Source: simple-fauna.ru
Animals living in the Arctic
List of arctic animals with pictures and interesting information. You can get more information about many animals by clicking on the images.
Arctic fox
The arctic fox has some features that allow it to live in the difficult conditions of the Arctic. The most notable feature is its fur, which changes color from brown (summer coloration) to white (winter coloration). The thick fur coat provides the fox with good camouflage and excellent protection from the cold.
arctic hare
Polar hares dig holes underground. There they sleep and hide from frost and predators. Hares run very fast, reaching speeds up to 60 km / h.
Arctic terns are the real conquerors of nature. These incredible birds fly over 19,000 km a year. They can be seen in broad daylight much more often than any other animals and birds. Thanks to flights, terns have two summers a year.
This is one of the arctic predators that live in the coldest regions of northern Canada and other areas of the Arctic. The polar wolf is a subspecies of the gray wolf, smaller than the northwestern wolf, another subspecies of the wolf.
Since the polar wolf is found in the Arctic, unlike other subspecies, it is the least exposed to extermination by humans.
bald eagle
The bald eagle is the national symbol of America. Its habitat extends far beyond the Arctic. You can meet this beautiful bird throughout North America - from Canada to Mexico. The bald eagle is called the bald eagle due to the white feathers growing on its head. These birds often catch fish: diving down, they snatch fish from the water with their paws.
Beluga whale
Beluga whales are found off the coast of Russia, North America and Greenland. They are social animals and generally prefer to live in small groups of around 10 individuals. Their white coloring perfectly camouflages them under the Arctic ice.
caribou/reindeer
In Europe, the caribou is better known as the reindeer. The deer have adapted well to the cold climate of the North. In the nose, he has large cavities that serve to heat the frosty air. The hooves of the animal in winter become smaller and harder, due to this, it becomes much easier for the deer to walk on ice and snow. During migration, some herds of reindeer move great distances. No other land mammals living on our planet are capable of this.
Sheep Dalla
The habitat of Dall sheep is in the subarctic regions of North America. These animals are very agile and agile, which helps them to avoid predators in most cases.
Ermine
The ermine belongs to the weasel family. The name "stoat" is sometimes used only to refer to the animal in its white winter coat.
Stoats are fierce hunters that eat other rodents. Often they even move into the burrows of their victims instead of digging their own shelters.
polar shark
Polar sharks are mysterious animals. This photo was taken by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Polar sharks are mysterious giants that live in the Arctic region. This photo was taken by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Click on the image to learn more about this animal.
Most often, polar sharks are found in the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Canada and Greenland. Of all the shark species, they are the northernmost. These animals swim quite slowly and prefer to catch their prey while it sleeps. Also, polar sharks do not disdain to eat up what other predators left after their meal.
harp seal
At birth, harp seal pups have a yellow fur coat. It turns white after three days. As the animal matures, its coloration acquires a silvery-gray color. Harp seals have a thick layer of subcutaneous fat that retains heat well. The seals' flippers serve as a kind of heat exchangers: in summer, excess heat is removed through them, and in winter, due to the movements of the flippers in the water, the body is heated.
Lemming
Lemmings are small rodents with long soft fur. They are herbivores and feed on grass, leaves, and plant roots. In winter, lemmings remain active and do not hibernate. Before the onset of winter, they stock up, and also burrow under the snow to search for food.
Elk
Elk is the largest member of the deer family. Elk are most often found in Alaska, Canada, Russia and Scandinavia. Moose have one feature that distinguishes them from other representatives of the deer family. This feature lies in the fact that they are solitary animals and do not live in herds. As a rule, the elk moves slowly, without haste. But a frightened or angry forest giant can pose a serious danger.
Learn more about moose here: Moose Information
Musk ox (musk ox)
This musk ox is called musky because of the sharp musky smell that the males of this species emit in order to attract females to themselves during the mating season. Musk oxen have thick coats that keep them warm. Both males and females have long, curved horns.
Narwhal
The narwhal is a medium-sized whale that is immediately recognizable by its long tusk protruding from the front of its head. This tusk is actually an overgrown front tooth. Narwhals spend the whole year in the Arctic waters that wash the coasts of Russia, Greenland and Canada.
killer whale
The killer whale is often referred to as the killer whale. This toothed whale belongs to the dolphin family. The killer whale has a very characteristic coloration: black back, white chest and belly. There are also white spots around the eyes. These predators prey on other marine life, for this they very often gather in groups. Killer whales occupy the top of the food pyramid, in natural conditions they have no enemies.
No list of Arctic animals can be considered complete without a polar bear. Polar bears are one of the types of predatory mammals. But unlike their forest relatives, they live on the Arctic coast and are able to swim long distances in cold water. They can also move quickly on snow and ice. Polar bears are the largest of all bears.
ptarmigan
In winter, partridges have white plumage, so it is difficult to see them in the snow. They find food under the snow, and in summer these birds feed mainly on berries, seeds and green shoots of plants. The white partridge has many local names, such as "white grouse" or "talovka", "alder".
Dead end (axe)
Puffins are amazing birds, they can both fly and swim. Short wings, like the fins of a fish, help them move quickly in the water column. Puffins have black and white feathers and brightly colored beaks. These birds form entire colonies on coastal rocks. From rocks, puffins dive into the water, where they look for food.
ringed seal
The ringed seal is the smallest type of seal. She has a small, cat-like head and a fat body. This seal got its name "ringed" from the fact that silvery rings are visible on its back and sides against the background of brown fur. Ringed seals prey on small fish.
sea otter
Sea otters are one of the largest representatives of the mustelid family, but at the same time, they are one of the smallest marine mammals. Sea otters spend more time in the water than on land. Thick and dense fur saves them from hypothermia.
white arctic goose
White Arctic geese spend the whole summer in the northern part of the USA and Canada, taking care of their offspring, and fly south by winter. During migration, these birds, as a rule, look out for agricultural fields. Here they feed by digging up the roots of plants with beaks adapted for digging the soil.
white hare
The white hare is white only in winter. In summer, its skin is brown. In addition, by winter, his hind legs are overgrown with thick hair, becoming large and fluffy. This prevents the hare from falling into the snow.
Walrus
The walrus is easily recognizable by its large tusks, long, stiff whiskers, and short flippers. Walruses, these large and heavy animals, used to be hunted a lot for their meat and fat. Now walruses are under state protection, and hunting for them is prohibited.
The northernmost natural zone of the planet is the Arctic desert, which is located in the latitudes of the Arctic. The territory here is almost completely covered with glaciers and snow, sometimes there are fragments of stones. Here most of the time winter reigns with frosts of -50 degrees Celsius and below. There is no change of seasons, although during the polar day there is a short summer, and the temperature during this period reaches zero degrees without rising above this value. In summer it can rain with snow, there are thick fogs. There is also a very poor flora.
Due to such weather conditions, the animals of the Arctic latitudes have a high level of adaptation to this environment, so they are able to survive in harsh climatic conditions.
What birds live in the arctic deserts?
Birds are the most numerous representatives of the fauna that live in the Arctic desert zone. Here there are large populations of pink gulls and guillemots that feel comfortable in the Arctic. There is also a northern duck - the common eider. The largest bird is the northern owl, which preys not only on other birds, but on small animals and cubs of large animals.
pink seagull
common eider
What animals can be found in the Arctic?
Among cetaceans in the Arctic desert zone, there is a narwhal, which has a long horn, and its relative, the bowhead whale. There are also populations of polar dolphins - belugas, large animals that feed on fish. Killer whales are also found in the Arctic deserts, hunting various northern animals.
There are numerous populations of seals in the Arctic desert, including harp seals, mobile, large sea hares - seals, 2.5 meters tall. Even in the expanses of the Arctic, you can meet walruses - predators that prey on animals of smaller dimensions.
Among land animals in the Arctic desert zone, polar bears live. In this area, they hunt well both on land and in water, as they dive and swim well, which allows them to feed on marine animals.
White bears
Another severe predator is the Arctic wolf, which in this area is not found alone, but lives in a pack.
Here lives such a small animal as a polar fox, which has to move a lot. Among the rodents you can find lemmings. And, of course, there are large populations of reindeer.
arctic fox
Adaptation of animals to the arctic climate
All of the above species of animals and birds have adapted to life in the Arctic climate. They have developed special adaptive abilities. The main problem here is the preservation of heat, therefore, in order to survive, animals must regulate their temperature regime. Bears and arctic foxes have thick fur for this. This protects the animals from severe frost. Polar birds have plumage that is loose and tight to the body. In seals and some marine animals, a fatty layer forms inside the body, which protects from the cold. The defense mechanisms of animals are especially active with the approach of winter, when frosts reach an absolute minimum. To protect themselves from predators, some representatives of the fauna change the color of their fur. This allows some species of the animal world to hide from enemies, and others to successfully hunt in order to feed their offspring.
The most amazing inhabitants of the Arctic
According to many people, the most amazing animal in the Arctic is the narwhal. This is a huge mammal that weighs 1.5 tons. Its length reaches up to 5 meters. This animal has a long horn in its mouth, but in fact it is a tooth that does not play any role in life.
In the waters of the Arctic there is a polar dolphin - beluga. He only eats fish. Here you can also meet the killer whale, which is a dangerous predator that does not neglect either fish or larger marine life. The Arctic desert zone is inhabited by seals. Their limbs are flippers. If on land they look clumsy, then in the water the flippers help the animals to swim maneuverably at high speed, hiding from enemies. The relatives of seals are walruses. They also live on land and in water.
The nature of the Arctic is amazing, but due to the harsh climatic conditions, not all people want to join this world.
Usually, when it comes to the wildlife of the Arctic, birds are not mentioned first. And yet, it is the birds that give the white silence of this region a special charm. The ringing song of the polar sparrow - snow bunting Plectrophenax nivalis represents the arrival of true spring in the Arctic.
Its appearance at the polar stations is the same as the arrival of rooks and starlings in the villages of Central Russia. The black and white bird is perhaps the only representative of songbirds in the polar regions. This tiny traveler was carried by evil winds to the North Pole. Usually the snow bunting feeds on plant seeds, but it needs insects to feed small chicks. Where to get them in the Arctic? Of course, there are several types of mosquitoes here. There are even those who, due to undeveloped wings, are not able to fly. There are very, very many of them ... but only on warm days. Snow buntings have to make a lot of efforts to feed their offspring to the full even during the cold - for example, collecting free-living nematodes on a snowfield.
On the Arctic islands, even far from the mainland, no, no, yes, and you will meet a brood in summer partridge Lagopus mutus. It seems that these birds, typical inhabitants of the mountain tundra, do not belong here. But the sparse vegetation crushed by frost and harsh winds is quite sufficient for the existence of these chicken representatives. In winter, they cannot survive here. It is hard to imagine how much effort it takes to get to the mainland for these birds.
A male partridge in the nesting area.
And yet, in the main, the feathered kingdom of the Arctic thrives at the expense of the sea. The vast majority of northern birds are its typical inhabitants. On land, they appear only for nesting and raising chicks. The location of nesting birds here is determined mainly by the availability of safe nesting sites and available food resources. For the choice of breeding area, the latter factor is decisive. In birds that have close food ties with marine ecosystems, nesting areas are confined to marine areas with increased biological productivity, for example, to frontal zones or marginal zones of drifting ice. At the same time, many species of birds are so adapted to the marine environment, to the aquatic lifestyle and to diving to great depths that they feel insecure on land and are forced to get absolutely all the food for their chicks in the sea even during the breeding season.
Typically, marine bird species use all the sources of food available to them in the sea, developing specific adaptations that facilitate their prey. They can be planktophages, ichthyophages and feed on benthos. Found among seabirds and omnivores.
Representatives of the petrels - fools Fulmarus glacialis - with the help of long narrow wings soar for a long time in air currents above the sea surface. In flight, they search for large accumulations of zooplankton, simultaneously using other objects as food, including fishing waste. With their beak with a beak, armed with a curved sharp hook, they are able to tear the skin of dead animals found in the sea.
A light variant of the coloring of the fulmar. Narrow long wings make it easier for the fulmar to fly in air currents, but make it difficult to land and take off from the water in calm weather.
In exceptional cases, fulmars can also attack small species of gulls, such as the kittiwake Rissa tridactyla, tearing pieces of muscle from living birds with their beak.
When a source of food available for fulmars appears, they accumulate in this area of the water area. The reverse side of the colonial way of life is increased aggressiveness towards their neighbors.
In the water column, auk birds hunt for small fish. Due to short and narrow wings, they do not differ in any virtuoso flight in the air - although they fly quickly, they are not able to maneuver. But their wings, in a half-bent state, allow for underwater flight and effectively pursue prey in the water column. In the Arctic seas, the most numerous species of auks is thick-billed murre Uria lomvia. On land, guillemots move with difficulty, their paws with membranes are not adapted for this, but in the air and during underwater flight they function as rudders. And one more thing: paw membranes, pierced by blood vessels, serve as an excellent heating element when incubating eggs.
The structure of the wings allows the guillemot to dive excellently, but when trying to sit on its part of the rock, it has difficulty. Often misses, especially in calm weather.
The breeding grounds of the murre are chosen on rocks inaccessible (or almost inaccessible) to four-legged predators, where the bird lays a single pear-shaped egg.
During the entire period of incubation, the guillemots keep it on their paws, covering it from above with their body, in the plumage of which a bare area of skin appears during this period - a brood spot. These birds do not build nests, and when changing partners, they roll the egg from paws to paws. And only in case of fright of the incubating parent, the egg can end up on a rock, often covered with ice. Often guillemots nest on sloping rocky areas, where such transfer from paws to paws is the only way to save the egg.
It is noteworthy that the eggs do not have camouflage coloration. In the presence of a variety of spots, specks and "squiggles", the general color background may be white, bright green or dull bluish hues. The constant presence of one of the parents reduces the importance of egg color for protection from predators. Guillemots are obligate colonial birds; they can nest and breed normally only in colonies, that is, in clusters of birds of their own species. For normal reproduction, they need to hear calls (acoustic background) and see (visual background) birds of their own species. This is probably why the booming cries of guillemots are carried far across the neighborhood. Such a method of nesting in dense colonies reduces the possibility of death of offspring from the activity of raptors, which in high latitudes include, first of all, large gulls. During rockfalls and landslides, unsuccessful rallies, guillemots are often injured and even die. At the colonies, arctic foxes prey on them.
It is generally believed that the pear-shaped shape of the egg is associated with the nesting of birds on the rocks and prevents the eggs from rolling in the event of a flight of birds. This is not entirely true. Everyone who worked in the colonies of guillemots is well aware that in the event of a flight of birds due to a sudden fright (collapse of a rock, sound signal of a ship, etc.), a massive fall of eggs from the rocks is observed. A free-lying egg, when pushed, still moves along a gentle arc. The pear-shaped form of the egg in this case does not help the birds at all.
During the period of mass laying of eggs, guillemots climb to the marginal areas of the colonies and steal them. Some of the eggs are hidden for the future.
But this form is optimal with a similar method of incubation, when the egg is on the paws of a bird. Special experiments have shown that in areas densely populated by guillemots, birds can recognize an egg that has shifted along an arc within a diameter of 50-70 cm as their own. An egg that has rolled out beyond these limits, the birds cannot recognize as their own and are thrown. Successful breeding seasons for guillemots do not occur every year. Feathered chicks, not yet capable of flight, leave the colony by jumping into the sea, often from a great height. Underdeveloped flight feathers of the wing, with frequent strokes, allow them to soften the impact on the water, where they are met by an invitingly screaming male. From the moment the fledgling splashed down, he takes all care of him. But in cold years, when the sea around the colonies is clogged with ice, the chicks may not reach open water. During these seasons, mass death of offspring occurs.
The chicks go down to the water, moreincapable of the fieldthat. In cold seasons, they have to make a long journey through the ice fields to get to open water. In this enterprise full of dangers, they are accompanied and protected by the male.
In arctic latitudes, the main food of thick-billed murres are pelagic fish (most often polar cod) and small crustaceans. In pursuit of food, guillemots are able to dive to great depths, significantly exceeding one hundred meters. But most often they find accumulations of available food in shallower layers of water. It is still not clear how guillemots identify prey in the absence of light at great depths or in surface waters during the polar night. Studies of the structure of the murre's eyes have shown that they are not adapted for night vision. Fears are often expressed that in the conditions of the warming of the Arctic, the food base of guillemots will change so much that this will lead to the degradation of their colonies. However, so far in the colonies where the number of birds is controlled, no decrease in nesting guillemots has been observed in recent years, on the contrary, in some colonies it is increasing. Due to methodological difficulties, it is very difficult to estimate the total number of thick-billed murres living in the Arctic, but it is clear that at present it can be several million individuals.
Broods of guillemots congregate to rest even in small areas of water, allowing you to get a little respite from predator attacks.
Along with thick-billed guillemots, another widespread species of auks lives in the Arctic - Little auk Alle alle. It is a specialized consumer of zooplankton. Small black and white birds, weighing only 200-250 g, like fairy-tale gnomes, inhabit rock screes. There, in the crevices, among the stones, they equip a primitive nesting chamber, where, in the absence of any lining, their only bluish egg is located.
Little auk colony on about. Hooker Franz Josef Land.
In such nesting conditions, the neighbors do not see each other, therefore, they regularly hold mass gatherings on the highest stones of the scree. Such places are called "clubs".
Lurik is a colonial species of birds and normally feels itself only in the company of its own kind.
Another way of communication, which little auks resort to, is constant vocalization. Birds continuously emit shrill trills, which are quite easy to spot their colony. The social activity of little auks is peculiarly manifested in specific circular flights - "carousels". There is an assumption that in this way, at the very beginning of the season, the birds synchronize the reproduction of individual pairs in the colony, and the young individuals who first visited this scree select a place for future nesting and get to know their neighbors.
The closed nesting method and the extremely high social activity of birds cause significant difficulties in counting birds in colonies. As a result, the number of little auks in the settlements is determined with rough tolerances with regular counts of individuals in the "carousels" and in the colony. The total number of little auks in the Arctic can be estimated at several million individuals.
Little auks swim and dive well, catching dense concentrations of pelagic calanus crustacean. It is saturated with fat and is a high-calorie food. But the calanus is very small, and little auks are forced to catch it until the sublingual sac is completely full. They do not have special devices (filtering and filtering) for mass trapping of crustaceans. Probably, the birds stuff the sublingual sac with prey, seizing the crustaceans one by one. It follows that such a method of hunting can be effective only with very dense accumulations of prey.
The little auk brings the caught crustaceans to the chicks in the sublingual pouch. With the help of such outgrowths on the palate, it keeps the calanus crustaceans when caught.
Little auks are a real decoration of the Arctic, enlivening its coastal areas with their polyphony. After the chicks descend to the water, which will also be accompanied by males before rising to the wing, the colonies are rapidly emptying, and silence hangs over the rocky screes.
Another representative of the Chistikov family, in fact, who gave him the name - that's what it is called scraper Cepphus grille. Unlike guillemots and little auks, guillemots do not nest in large colonies. Their sparse settlements usually consist of several pairs and very rarely reach a size of several dozen individuals. Birds lead a secretive lifestyle. In the first half of summer, their presence can be recognized only by the manifestations of social activity on the water in quiet evenings and nights. Guillemots gather in groups and display elements of mating behavior. They arrange their nests in cracks and crevices of rocks along the edges of bird rookeries, less often in scree.
As a rule, guillemots lay two eggs. The hatched chicks are fed with small bottom fish, crustaceans and polychaetes. Fully fledged young guillemots, left by adults, go to the water and immediately begin to lead an independent lifestyle.
One of the classic representatives of the Arctic avifauna and important forming elements of bird rookeries is a small gull kittiwake. Often it is called a three-toed gull (only three fingers are fully developed) and a black-footed talker. But in Russian ornithology, its Pomeranian name, kittiwake, has taken root. She received it on the Murmansk coast of the Kola Peninsula, where in the food sense it is closely related to capelin. The population of Murman, who actively collected bird eggs, noticed a characteristic feature: during the years of the capelin harvest, kittiwake nests in bird colonies in large numbers, and in nests it often has clutches of two or three olive-brown eggs.
In the Arctic regions of the Barents Sea, capelin appears infrequently, and kittiwakes get other food there. But even a full clutch of three eggs in kittiwakes can be seen extremely rarely in these areas. Usually it makes up one or two eggs here. The average clutch size of Kittiwake is an excellent indicator of the availability of food for birds in the pre-breeding period. In seasons when the availability of food for kittiwakes is very limited, non-nesting occurs. In this case, most kittiwakes occupy the colony, often even restore nests, but do not start laying eggs.
Kittiwake is also an obligate-colonial species and can normally breed only in groups with a minimum of 10-20 pairs of its own species. She was also nicknamed the talker for a reason. In the colony, birds lead an active lifestyle, constantly screaming and conflicting with their neighbors.
In the colony, kittiwakes are characterized by demonstrative behavior, which often immediately turns into scandals between neighboring pairs.
At the same time, these scandals and demonstrative behavior in the colonies have their own biological meaning. Such activity contributes to the synchronization of bird breeding in the colony. Bird nests are arranged on ledges of steep rocks, using the remains of vegetation, moss and mud as building material. The laying of the birds incubate in turn, sitting very tightly. In the Arctic regions, where the feeding possibilities of birds are limited (birds catch only the surface layer of the sea), there are distinct differences in the foraging behavior of the sexes. Males make long search flights. Their prey is often small fish, mainly polar cod. Females leave the nests for a shorter time. Most often, they feed near glaciers and nearby ice fields, where zooplankton is immobilized and accumulates at the junctions of fresh melt water and salty sea water. They are the ones most often fed by female kittiwakes.
At the junction of sea water and fresh runoff from melting glaciers, immobilized zooplankton accumulates, which kittiwakes constantly feed on.
It is clear that in cold seasons, when the spaces around the colonies are filled with ice, kittiwakes have to spend much more time foraging. The chicks get much less of it, and the phenomenon of socially determined mortality is manifested in the colonies. Chicks fight for access to food, and usually the strongest and most aggressive chick wins. Fully feathered kittiwake chicks gradually leave their native colonies and form flocks consisting of almost only young birds. The warming of the Arctic is likely to provide kittiwakes with more high-calorie food, and their numbers in the region will increase. At present, the number of kittiwakes in the Russian sector of the Arctic can reach one million individuals.
A young kittiwake has just left its parent's nest.
But the real symbol of the Arctic is still another gull - white Pagophila eburnea. Of all the species of seabirds, it is she who is most closely associated with ice. The breeding area of the ivory gull is located within homogeneous ice regions and is limited by the ice regime and seasonal ice conditions of the sea area. The determining factor for choosing a nesting site for the white gull is the absence of four-legged predators - arctic foxes. For breeding, she prefers coastal tundra, low-lying areas of islands near glaciers or sea ice.
The whole life of seagulls is connected with the Arctic ice, they even form colonies near glaciers.
Unlike kittiwakes, the ivory gull is a facultative colonial seabird species. In fact, it can reproduce normally both in colonies of its own species and as single pairs. Existence in the harsh conditions of the Arctic has left its mark on white gulls. They are characterized by high interannual fluctuations in the number of nesting birds, the abandonment of colonies and the formation of new ones during one season, and a cardinal change in nesting sites. In favorable years, early breeding periods, a high density of nesting birds and the presence of clutches of three eggs are noted.
The white gull is an omnivore. Among the ice in the sea, she extracts polar cod, crustaceans. Actively feeds on the corpses of animals, picks up the remains of food and their excrement. Often, these birds visit landfills near residential settlements, looking for food waste. They also have cases of cannibalism.
In the course of research by the Russian scientist M.V. Gavrilo in recent years in the Russian sector of the Arctic, the number of white gulls was determined at 11-13 thousand pairs. It was not possible to identify pronounced trends in the development of the Russian population. But it is known that there are very real threats to this species, primarily organochlorine pollution. White gulls have one of the highest levels of these chemical compounds among Arctic birds. One of the possible threats to white gulls may be the factor of warming of the Arctic regions. For these reasons, the species is listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation and the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Ivory gull chick at the nest
Larus hyperboreus is one of the largest seabirds in the Arctic. Distributed circumpolar. The burgomaster belongs to the facultative-colonial species of seabirds. Breeds in single pairs and sparse settlements. Prefers to choose sites for nesting near colonies of other bird species or in estuaries. Large colonies, up to a hundred pairs or more, are rarely formed, as a rule, only in areas rich in available food.
The burgomaster is omnivorous. In the sea, among the ice, it catches cod and crustaceans. Uses dead animals, fishing waste, food waste near residential premises as food. In bird colonies, it actively destroys nests and steals chicks.
Burgomaster who stole an egg from a guillemot. He can swallow such an egg whole.
If necessary, the burgomaster is able to produce adult guillemots, kittiwakes and guillemots. Cases of cannibalism are typical for the burgomaster. It is the main raptor in Arctic seabird colonies.
The burgomaster is able to get an adult kittiwake and even a guillemot. But more often it uses injured and dead birds as food. A pair of burgomasters near a dead thick-billed murre.
It builds massive nests from plant remains on the coasts on the tops of large stones, in bird rookeries along the periphery of the colonies. A full clutch consists of three olive-brown eggs with dark spots. Nests actively protect against terrestrial predators.
During a steep dive, it can beat the violator of the borders of the nesting area (arctic fox, human, etc.) with its paws. Nestlings are successfully fed with any food available in the nesting area.
A hearty burgomaster who dined.
In many areas of the Arctic, during the breeding season, you can meet seabirds with a peculiar way of life - Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus. This close relative of gull birds, a bright representative of the Pomornikov family, is distributed circumpolarly in the Arctic regions. Using a virtuoso maneuverable flight, the skua has adapted to catch small birds and take food from other birds. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Pomors called him "robber", "crowbar", "correct officer". These names reflected the thieves and robbers of the behavior of the bird.
The Arctic Skua nests in low-lying areas of coastal tundra, most often in single pairs. Spends a lot of time in the air, arranging "catch-up" games. Flights are accompanied by characteristic cries, vaguely reminiscent of the cries of cats. Each pair occupies a certain territory, which it actively protects both from third-party birds of its own species and from other border violators, including humans.
Skua actively defends the nesting territory from enemies, often hitting the intruder with its paws.
When a predator appears, it either attacks, striking with its paws from a dive, or actively imitates a wounded animal, accompanying its demonstrative behavior with a “chicken” squeak.
The nest is an unremarkable excavation in the ground without any lining. A full clutch consists of two olive-brown eggs. As easy as it is to spot the skuas themselves in the vicinity of their site, it is just as difficult to spot their nest or lurking chick in the area.
It is problematic to estimate the real number of Arctic Skuas in the Arctic regions. It is unlikely that it exceeds several tens of thousands of breeding pairs. There are currently no significant threats to Arctic Skua populations.
Among arctic birds, few species contain the term "polar" in their names. These include arctic tern Sterna paradisaea. In the Arctic zone, the Arctic tern is distributed circumpolarly. Of all the terns, this is the most northern species. The appearance of the Arctic tern is memorable - a small white-gray bird with a dark cap, scarlet beak and paws, characteristic sharp wings and a "swallow" tail. Like all colonial birds, it is "talkative". The species-specific cry of the Arctic tern "Kirrya-ya-ya" can be constantly heard over its nesting area. Actively protects its offspring, striking with a sharp beak when attacking.
It nests in low-lying areas. The nest is a regular hole. The maximum clutch size is three eggs. Sometimes there are clutches with four and five eggs, but in these cases it may well be double clutches.
The Arctic tern feeds on small objects: small fish and various forms of zooplankton. Looks out for prey in the water column, hovering over it with characteristic fluttering wings. Having found prey, it tries to catch it during “impact diving”.
Arctic terns catch fish and small crustaceans. After a hasty throw, the tern flies away with the amphipod in its beak.
The method of hunting raises the question of whether arctic terns have polarized vision (this is the ability to see objects in the water at different angles of illumination, despite glare and reflections) and the need for sufficient illumination of the feeding area. Leaves nesting areas in early August, perhaps the first of the entire complex of arctic birds. In mid-August, birds appear in the expanses of the North Atlantic. The Arctic tern gained public fame due to the length of the routes and the remoteness of the wintering areas. Arctic terns spend winter in Antarctic waters. The average length of their migration routes during one annual cycle, according to the Russian researcher A.E. Volkov, amounted to more than 84 thousand km, and the duration of wintering in the Antarctic regions was more than 120 days.
Downy chick of Arctic tern
Among the seabirds of the Arctic, there is also the famous species of sea ducks - Somateria mollissima. The distribution is circumpolar. A large sea duck (weighing about two kg) has pronounced sexual dimorphism.
A male eider in a contrasting uncamouflage outfit.
The common eider is an excellent diver, although it does not show records for diving depth. Its usual “working” depth is within ten meters. When diving, it actively uses wings, demonstrating “underwater flight”, but when it reaches, it uses only webbed feet when moving in the water column. With the help of a powerful beak, it captures available benthic organisms, literally tearing them out of the ground. Among the caught objects, mollusks, crustaceans, starfish and urchins are most often found. When possible, eiders also catch fish. If in the southern regions of the Barents Sea molluscs play the leading role in the composition of feed, then in the high-latitude regions of the range the importance of crustaceans sharply increases.
The common eider nests, as a rule, on islands where there are no terrestrial predators. The number of eggs in the clutch may vary, but in the northern regions of the range there are usually 3-4. The female incubates the clutch.
The female common eider in her brown plumage looks distinctly on the ice before nesting. But it will be difficult to detect when incubating masonry.
It rarely leaves the nest, only to get drunk. During the incubation period, she does not feed. The eider's nest is lined, which in the last century was considered as an unsurpassed insulation. With the development of chemical analogues, its importance has noticeably decreased, and eiderdown products from the category of "workers" smoothly migrated to the category of "status".
No fluff can save a clutch from a polar bear. When it appears, the eiders fly to the water, and everything that the bear does not eat will be eaten by the burgomasters.
The current state of eider nests in the Russian sector of the Arctic is unclear. In recent years, the southern regions of the Barents Sea and the islands of the Franz Josef Land archipelago have been explored to a greater extent. At the same time, nothing is known about the abundance and state of nesting sites of the common eider on Novaya Zemlya. The total number of the world population is about 3-4 million individuals. Among the threats to the common eider, one can consider as a very real factor of concern in the further development of the Arctic zone, for individual populations and nesting groups - oil pollution of the water area. Possible warming in the Arctic regions does not pose a serious danger to the populations of the common eider. The adaptive potential of the species is quite high, as demonstrated by the history of the establishment of the common eider in the Black Sea.
Once upon a time, products made from eider down were classified as “workers” among the inhabitants of the North and polar explorers. Now they tend to be seen as "status" things. Most eider breeding sites are included in the composition, where any economic activity is strictly regulated. In other areas of the northern seas, the search for eider nests is laborious and, subject to all measures for the protection of birds, does not justify the cost.
Outside of the breeding season, during seasonal migrations and wintering, most colonial sea bird species adhere to water areas with high biological productivity confined to various frontal zones in the North Atlantic and North Pacific. Some species of seabirds are closely associated with ice biotopes. Species such as little auk, guillemot and ivory gull adhere to the ice edge zone with polynyas, clearings and leads, as well as the marginal zone of drifting ice. The roaming and wintering areas of some populations of seabirds, for example, the common eiders of Novaya Zemlya and Franz Josef Land, have not yet been established. There are only assumptions of varying degrees of validity about the areas of their localization. The validity of these assumptions can be revealed only in the course of further studies of the avifauna of the Arctic.
The photographs were taken by Yu.V. Krasnov.
The Arctic - ice expanses, endless snow, permafrost. It seems that living beings have no place in the realm of cold, but this is not so. Let's find out which animals are the northernmost in the world.
Birds
Many birds live in the northern territories. Most of them fly away to spend the winter in warmer climes, some breed in other regions. The legs of waterfowl are devoid of feathers, but are permeated with blood vessels - this is a protection against hypothermia. The plumage of arctic birds is often light, which allows them to camouflage themselves against the background of snow.
The body length of the bird is about 35 cm. The pink gull feeds on insects, small mollusks, and during the migration period, fish and crustaceans.
Birds of medium size: from 38 to 46 cm. They feed on small fish from 5 to 15 cm long, crustaceans, mollusks.
There are thin-billed and thick-billed varieties of murre
The bird belongs to ducks, but is larger than its counterparts - 50–71 cm. The eider feeds on small marine life, including fish.
With light elastic down, the eiders insulate the clothes of polar explorers and climbers
The size of the bird reaches 65–70 cm. The polar owl is an active predator, it hunts small animals and birds, and does not neglect fish and carrion.
Another name for a snowy owl is white
The body length of the arctic tern is 36-43 cm. Birds hunt for fish, crustaceans, mollusks, insects, earthworms. Berries may also be eaten at nesting sites.
Every year, the arctic tern flies for wintering from the Arctic to the Antarctic, due to these flights, the bird observes two summers every year
The diet of birds is predominantly vegetable. The size of white partridges is 35-38 cm.
From the northern regions - the tundra, the Arctic islands - ptarmigans fly south for wintering
Atlantic puffin
Birds feed mainly on fish, sometimes they also eat small mollusks and shrimps. The size of the Atlantic puffin is 30–35 cm.
The Russian name "dead end" comes from the word "stupid" and is associated with the massive, rounded shape of the bird's beak.
White geese are medium-sized, from 60 to 75 cm long. They feed on plants.
On the territory of Russia, the white goose is distributed on Wrangel Island, in the northeast of Yakutia and in Chukotka.
They feed almost exclusively on small fish. The length of loons is from 53 to 91 cm.
Loons are waterfowl and spend their entire lives on or near water.
The size of the bird is 56–69 cm. The diet of the black goose consists of plant foods.
In Russia, there is an Atlantic subspecies of the black goose that nests on Franz Josef Land
Waterfowl
Seals living in the Far North have a thick fat layer under their skin, which serves as thermal insulation. Underwater mammals such as whales are also large in body mass.
The length of adult animals is up to 1.8 m, and the weight is from 120 to 140 kg. The harp seal's diet includes fish and invertebrates.
Harp seals are otherwise called coots, and their cubs are pups
One of the largest real seals and the largest in the fauna of Russia. Body length - up to 2.5 m. It feeds mainly on invertebrates and bottom fish.
Another name for the sea hare is bearded seal
Adult individuals reach 1.85 m in length and 132 kg of weight. The common seal, like other subspecies, feeds mainly on fish, and sometimes invertebrates, crustaceans and mollusks.
Two subspecies of the common seal - European and insular - are listed in the Red Book
The length of adult animals is from 1.1 to 1.5 m. The ringed seal is a close relative of the common seal.
The White Sea subspecies of the ringed seal lives in the Arctic Ocean
Huge animals, the length of males can reach 4.5 m, females - 3.7 m. The basis of the diet of the walrus is benthic invertebrates, as well as some species of fish. They can also attack seals.
The weight of walruses is up to 2 tons for males and up to 1 ton for females
The maximum recorded length of the animal is 22 m, and the weight can reach 100 tons. Bowhead whales feed on plankton by filtering water through whalebone plates.
The bowhead whale dives to a depth of 200 m and can stay underwater for up to 40 minutes.
The body length of an adult narwhal usually reaches 3.8–4.5 m, and of newborns - 1–1.5 m. Narwhals feed mainly on cephalopods, to a lesser extent on crustaceans and fish.
A protrusion on the snout of a narwhal is used as a bludgeon to stun, possibly also allowing you to sense changes in water pressure and temperature.
The males of the animal reach a length of 10 m and have a mass of up to 8 tons, females - up to 8.7 m in length. The killer whale is a predator with a wide range of food, it can eat fish and cephalopods, as well as seals, dolphins, and whales.
Killer whales are dolphin, not cetacean
The basis of the animal's diet is fish and, to a lesser extent, crustaceans and cephalopods. The largest male beluga whales reach 6 m in length and 2 tons in weight, females are smaller.
Beluga skin color changes with age: newborns are blue and dark blue, after a year they become gray and bluish-gray, individuals older than 3-5 years are pure white
land animals
Animals of the Arctic have thicker fur coats that keep them warm in harsh conditions. Most of them are white - this helps animals to hide from predators, and predators, in turn, to be invisible while hunting in the snowy expanses.
The body length of males is 2.1-2.6 m, females - 1.9-2.4 m. Musk oxen are herbivores, most of the year they feed on dry plants that they dig out from under the snow.
Another name for the musk ox is the musk ox.
The size of the animal reaches 2–2.2 m, but the tundra is smaller. The value depends on the abundance of food. Reindeer feed on plants, most of the time they get food from under the snow.
In North America, this deer is called caribou.
The animal is of medium size, the body length of adult males is 140-188 cm, the height at the withers is 76-112 cm, and the weight is 56-150 kg. The females are slightly smaller. Snow sheep are herbivores.
Other names for bighorn sheep are chubuk or bighorn
The length of the predator reaches 3 m, weight up to 1 ton. The main prey of the polar bear is seals, walruses and other marine animals.
