Animals of the Arctic Islands. Arctic. Animals and plants of the Arctic. Predatory mammals of the Arctic
And the inhabitants of this northernmost region are quite satisfied with this state of affairs. We are not talking about Eskimos, but about animals that consider the Arctic their home. While temperatures below zero and the gloomy boreal forests can seem bleak and unforgiving, many animals thrive in the frozen tundra of the Arctic Circle.
Some of these animals you have probably seen before. polar bear or the snowy 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 world of the ice-covered Arctic Circle.
Wolverine
What comes to mind when you think of wolverine? A ferocious animal that looks like a wolf? In fact, these creatures are part of the marten family and are more like 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 usually small in size. They have long legs and wide paws, which facilitates walking in deep snow. Most often they hunt small white hares. In the 1970s, the lynx was considered extinct, but later successfully reappeared. Today it is included in the list of species that are on the verge of extinction.
small swan
The lesser swan migrates to Alaska every spring to build a nest and lay eggs. In autumn, this species moves to the northeastern United States along the Atlantic coast.
white hare
These amazing creatures can be found in the northern regions of Alaska, Canada and Greenland. AT winter months The hare's fur turns white, which allows it to camouflage against the background of snow, but in summer it is usually gray-brown.
The white hare is not considered an endangered species.
red fox
The red fox is by no means unique to the Arctic Circle. In fact, it can be found on all continents of the world except Antarctica. Unfortunately, it is considered dangerous in many ecosystems. In Australia, for example, red fox was introduced by man in 1855 for the purpose of recreational hunting and quickly took root in wild nature. About 150 years later, this species became a threat to a large number of bird and mammal populations native to Australia.
Beluga whale
This famous white whale can be found in the icy waters of Alaska, Canada, Greenland and Russia, but the populations of this animal in all these countries are considered endangered.
There are only five populations of this species in Alaska. The Cook Inlet belugas population, one of the few settled species, was recently listed under the US Endangered Species Act.
Polar bear
The polar bear is also known as the polar bear. These majestic animals are considered an endangered species and are protected by law in many countries. Their diet primarily includes seals, and as such they are found mainly in coastal areas.
Caribou
Woodland caribou - a domesticated animal called "reindeer" - can be found in southern Alaska, Canada, Russia and Greenland. This is the only type of deer, both males and females of which have antlers. Caribou are protected under the Endangered Species Act.
Narwhal
This unique Arctic animal, called the "unicorn of the sea" because of the long (sometimes up to 3 meters!) Fang protruding from the jaw, can be found in the waters of Greenland and Canada. The hunting and feeding system of narwhals is still a mystery to scientists, although it is known for certain that the tusk is not used for hunting. Their diet consists mainly of squid.
snowy owl
Snowy owls are the only birds that live all year round in the Arctic and do not migrate. When the snowy owl fully matures, its feathers become pure white, but the plumage of owls is gray. The famous Harry Potter animal named Hedwig is a snowy 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 mammals. He appeared in Iceland during the last ice age going to the volcanic island on the frozen water. This fox-like species is considered endangered in Scandinavia, where it has been heavily protected for decades.
great auk
The great auk was a type of penguin and was the first flightless bird is a member of this family. She lived in North Atlantic waters, in particular in Canada, and she could be found even in New England. Hunting for the great auk led to its extinction in the 1800s.
Modern penguins live only in the Southern Hemisphere.
Atlantic puffin
This memorable creature is related to the extinct auk described above, but it is alive and well and can be found in Northern Europe, the Arctic Circle, parts of Maine, USA, and Newfoundland. This sea bird holds most time in the water, diving for fish and squid. On land, it can be found in spring and summer during the breeding season.
The cold and snowy edge of the Arctic does not receive warm sun rays and has such a beautiful phenomenon as the polar night.
Although the Arctic is cold, it still has beautiful and hardy inhabitants - animals.
Animals living in such a cold are very resistant to frost and have their own characteristics.
polar bear
One of the most large predators planet, which has coarse and thick wool with subcutaneous fat up to 10 cm, which protects from frost and cold. The white color of the coat helps to camouflage in the snowy region.
The polar bear eats marine mammals and fish. Eats mainly the skin and hair of the victim, if very hungry, then eats meat. At one time, he eats about 7 kg of food.
bowhead whale
A whale that grows up to 80 tons and is up to 20 meters long. Eats marine plankton and absorbs about 1.5 tons per day.
Beluga whale (polar dolphin)
It grows up to 2 tons and 6 meters in length. Beluga whales feed mainly on fish.
killer whale
Hunt beluga whales, seals, seals and walruses. It grows up to 5 tons and up to 7-8 meters long.
arctic fox
Small in size, but so famous and highly valued. It has another name - polar faces. The arctic fox is omnivorous, then in the Arctic he finds something to hunt.
Lemming
The Arctic wouldn't be complete without a rodent like the lemming. Almost all inhabitants of the cold region feed on this rodent.
Seal
Marine animals that spend a lot of time on land.
Seals are large animals that can weigh up to 2.5 tons and grow up to 6 meters.
They are predators and feed on fish that they catch in the water.
Walrus
Another pinniped living in the Arctic is the walrus.
The walrus grows up to 4 meters and weighs up to 1.8 tons. Eats sea shellfish, crabs and worms. Fish are hunted only in those moments when there are no more living creatures.
May become prey for killer whales or polar bears.
Reindeer
Beautiful and valuable Reindeer are subjected to poaching, which has a very detrimental effect on the population.
reindeer migrate in the summer to the cold, and in the winter to where there is less snow. They mostly live in forests, where it is easier for them to find food for themselves.
The Arctic is rich in birds such as
- polar gull
- Burgomaster
- pink seagull
- waders
- common kittiwake
- Petrel
- partridges
- snowy owl
- Sterkh
- Bunting
Animals that live in the Arctic are not as difficult as it seems, because they are adapted and acclimatized to such weather conditions.
Option 2
The Arctic is a snowy, cold area of permafrost. Its shores are washed by the frosty waters of the Arctic Ocean. The climate here is incredibly harsh - icy winds and endless snowfalls, gloomy, sunless days. But, despite these seemingly unbearable conditions, life in the Arctic boils and develops.
The most common inhabitants of the Arctic are birds, about 100 species. Strange as it may seem, it is easier for them than others to live in these conditions. Among them:
- The pink gull is a small bird with a body of 35 centimeters and a weight of about a quarter of a kilogram. It feeds on insects, fish, and molluscs.
- Guillemot is a medium-sized bird with small wings, a body of about half a meter, and an average weight of a kilogram. They hunt fish underwater.
- The tundra partridge is a herbivorous bird, with a body length like that of a pink gull, but weighing half a kilo or more.
The oldest inhabitants of the Arctic are seals:
- The bearded seal is the largest of this species, the body reaches 2.5 meters in length, and weighs almost half a ton. Feeds on small invertebrates and demersal fish.
- The ringed seal is an active one and a half meter animal weighing 70 kilograms; it also feeds on fish.
- The common seal is listed in the Red Book. In size, it is between the bearded seal and the seal, the diet does not differ from its counterparts.
Close relatives of seals are predatory walruses. They differ in their dimensions - 3 meters in length and a ton of weight, as well as the presence of fangs. The basis of nutrition is mollusks, but they are not averse to profiting from their relatives.
The polar bear is the most respected and largest predator on the Arctic land. It grows up to more than 2 meters and can weigh half a ton. He runs fast, swims well and hunts other inhabitants of the Arctic.
Cetaceans live in permafrost waters:
- The killer whale is the largest marine predator Arctic - up to 10 meters in length and weighing 8 tons. It feeds on both inhabitants of the waters and coastal inhabitants.
- Beluga is a two-ton, six-meter predator that feeds on fish.
- Narwhal is a cetacean with a horn-tooth that weighs about 10 kilograms and is 3 meters long.
Another small but very popular predator around the world is the arctic fox, with chic fur, which is used to create fur coats. Despite the fact that it weighs no more than 5 kilograms, the arctic fox is a dexterous, fast and dangerous meat-eating predator.
Reindeer - Arctic vegetarian with chic branched antlers and a warm coat. It feeds on reindeer moss, tearing snow with its hooves, grows up to one and a half meters and can weigh 200 kilograms.
The fauna of the Arctic is represented by a huge variety of animals of all tastes and sizes, which have adapted to the harsh conditions and found their home here.
Report on the topic Animals of the Arctic
As you know, the Arctic is the coldest place on the planet. There is the most severe cold and frost. Let's find out who could survive in these conditions and still live there.
Maybe for us, people, these conditions seem terrible and harsh, but for the animals and plants that live there, this is normal.
The arctic fox is a small relative of the fox. It has a thick white coat that allows them to survive in the harsh conditions of the Arctic. It feeds on small animals: lemmings, rabbits, also birds and other animals.
The polar bear is one of the most large inhabitants earth. He has white fur. It feeds on seals and fish. Sometimes it eats the corpses of whales and birds. This is the most ferocious predator Arctic.
The walrus is a large Arctic mammal that feeds on a variety of marine life: fish, molluscs, tube worms, etc. But there are also animals that prey on walruses - bears and killer whales. They need to be protected.
Musk ox - large mammal living in the Arctic and tundra. They feed on vegetation: flowers, moss, grass. Their large flocks consist of 2-10 dozen individuals. This helps them protect themselves from predators. A thick layer of wool saves them from the cold, the top layer of wool saves them from the wind, and the inner layer is more short hair responsible for isolation.
The Arctic hare is a hare-like animal that lives in the Arctic and the tundra, on the territory North America. A thick layer of wool saves from the cold environment and survive the winter.
The harp seal is a species of true seal. Their skin layer is dense and their head is flat. Narrow muzzle. The front paws have thick claws. Harp seals spend most of their lives in the ocean.
Also in the Arctic live animals that may disappear.
These include white gulls. They nest in flocks. Sometimes even near houses. They feed on fish, the remains of bear prey. But for recent times their numbers have declined. One of the reasons is the warming in the Arctic.
The number of bowhead whales has also decreased. Since 1935, they have been listed in the Red Book and hunting for them is prohibited. The reason for this is that the water enters a large number of oil, which causes poisoning.
Even polar bears in 30 years can reduce their numbers. The reasons for this: poaching, melting glaciers, environmental pollution.
There are many animals in the Arctic that are adapted to such conditions, but there are rumors that the number of animals is decreasing and will decrease soon. All this is happening because of the warming in the Arctic. But on this moment Nevertheless, there are many animals in the Arctic that have not yet disappeared.
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Zone Arctic deserts located in the very north of the continents of Eurasia and North America. The climate and living conditions here are very harsh, there is no change of seasons as such. There is a polar night, during which the temperature is kept within 30-40 degrees below zero. During the day in this region the air warms up to -10, sometimes up to -3 degrees. That is why the animals of the Arctic desert zones are fundamentally different from those that live in our continental latitudes. They are more adapted to survive in harsh environments. Well, read below about what they are, how they are characteristic and how popular they are.
Feathered permanent inhabitants of the Arctic
For the most part animal world arctic deserts is presented in the form of birds. Feathered fauna is represented here 124 various types inhabitants of the sky, 55 of which consider the Arctic their home and nest there. Among such sedentary northern birds, one can single out the pink gull, Siberian eider, and murre. By the way, representatives of the latter species prefer to nest on the heights of various rocks that are covered with glaciers. However, they do not experience discomfort. Also, the bird fauna of the Arctic deserts is represented in the form of glaucous gulls, white gulls, arctic terns, guillemots, little auks, etc. The queen among the permanent residents of the northern skies is
Fickle Residents of the Arctic Skies
When the day comes in the very north of our planet and the air temperature rises, birds from the tundra, taiga and continental latitudes arrive here. Because from the beginning of the first warm days on the shores of the Arctic Ocean you can meet black geese, galstunki, tules, brown-winged plovers, white-tailed sandpipers. Flocks of the following birds fly here with them: oystercatcher, red-throated, dunlin, upland buzzard and many others. With the onset of cold weather, all of the above flocks return to more southern latitudes. But this does not mean at all that the animal world of the Arctic deserts is becoming more scarce. Birds fly over this region constantly, and, perhaps, it is thanks to the birds that these lands still show at least the slightest signs of life.
General description of mammals
Animals of the Arctic desert zone that live on land or lead a semi-aquatic lifestyle are only 16 species. 4 of them are representatives of the marine fauna, but they are not fish, but still mammals. Most of them are listed in the Red Book Russian Federation. For this reason, hunting in the Arctic deserts is strictly prohibited, and every individual who is a representative of the fauna here is carefully protected by the government. So, now we will take a closer look at each inhabitant of these latitudes and find out what characteristics they have.
Inhabitants of the icy depths
To begin with, let's look at what animals of the Arctic deserts we have living in cold waters. We often met photos of many of them on the pages Soviet textbooks or just seen them on TV. Most interesting resident region - narwhal. huge fish, which reaches a length of 5 meters and weighs more than one and a half tons. characteristic feature is an long horn that sticks out of the mouth. It is like an animal's tooth, but it does not perform its characteristic functions. Narwhals are the only animals of their kind and have no analogues. The closest relative of this species is the bowhead whale. It is much more massive than the narwhal, but does not have such a huge tooth. It feeds on plankton and swims quite far out to sea. Following marine mammal northern edges is a beluga or a polar dolphin. Dwells on great depths ocean and feeds exclusively on fish. The killer whale, the most dangerous northern underwater predator, completes our list. In addition to the fact that it devours smaller inhabitants northern waters and their shores, it is also dangerous for beluga and seals.
Seals and walruses
The most popular animals of the Arctic desert zone are seals. They represent a separate population, but have many subspecies. A characteristic feature of all seals are flippers, which replace divergent hind limbs. They end in claws that allow mammals to move easily over snowy terrain. Among the most striking are the Greenland seal (the largest and most dangerous of all species), and the sea seal. The latter species is characterized by the smallest size, and at the same time all its representatives are very mobile. But the seal's closest relative, the walrus, is also its danger. Walruses are much larger in size, have sharp fangs, with which they cut through the ice and get their food from the sea. They also need this tool for ground hunting. They eat small animals, including seals.
Bears and wolves
The brightest animals of the Arctic desert zone are polar bears. They have exclusively white color and a dense coat that allows them to survive the terrible cold both on land and under water, which is simply icy. In addition to the fact that the bear is the king of the Arctic, he is also the most dangerous predator. It eats terrestrial animals and mammals that are smaller than it in size. It is also dangerous for fish and animals that live in the sea. Not so dangerous, but no less ferocious in the North are polar wolves. They are very beautiful, have a white or brown color and live in flocks of up to 9 individuals. Their prey are arctic foxes, deer, sometimes small seals, as well as all other terrestrial animals that are smaller than them.
Red Book of the Russian Federation
The animals of the Arctic desert zone, listed in the Red Book, are almost all of the species that were named above. But in order to have a more specific idea of which inhabitants northern latitudes must be protected from special attention Let's list them again. The Red Book contains a polar bear, walrus, seal, arctic fox. Of the mammals that live in aquatic environment, narwhals, killer whales, and for some time also beluga get into the Red Book. In addition, many species of birds are listed on the pages of this book. It's pink and white seagull, peregrine falcon, cran-nosed goose, small swan and others.
Afterword
Almost all animals of the Arctic deserts have been listed above. In Russia, all these species have been living since the formation of the climate on the planet, and a similar picture is emerging in the northern regions of Alaska, as well as in Greenland. The fauna of this snow world is very unique, unlike any other, and most importantly, it is dying out. Therefore, the governments of all countries to which these little animals are related carefully guard them. They cannot be hunted, exterminated and infringed in every way.
Plan
1. Appearance
2. Distribution
3. Lifestyle and nutrition
5. Economic importance
6. Population status and protection
1. Appearance
Polar bear, or polar bear, or northern Bear, or sea bear - a predatory mammal of the bear family, close relative brown bear.
The polar bear is different from other bears Long neck and flat head. His skin is black. The color of the coat varies from white to yellowish; in summer, the fur may turn yellow due to constant exposure sunlight. The polar bear's fur is devoid of pigmentation, and the hairs are hollow. The translucent hairs allow only ultraviolet rays to pass through, giving the wool its insulating properties. In ultraviolet photography, the polar bear appears dark. Due to the structure of the hairs, the polar bear can sometimes “turn green”. This happens in a hot climate (in zoos), when microscopic algae grow inside the hairs.
The soles of the feet are lined with wool so as not to slip on the ice and not to freeze. Between the fingers there is a swimming membrane, and the front of the paws is trimmed with stiff bristles. Large claws can hold even strong prey.
Pointed muzzle easily cuts through the water, very warm, thick fur and layer subcutaneous fat allow a well-swimming predator to stay in cold water, overcoming long distances between ice fields by swimming. The hind legs serve as a rudder, and the front legs, densely covered with hair, form continuous rowing blades. The specific gravity of a bear's body is close to that of water. The fur in the water does not get wet and retains air, supports the body of this giant in the water, allowing you to swim for hours and even sleep without getting out onto the ice. Bears can swim 100 km from land!
2. Distribution
In Russia, the polar bear is constantly lives in space from Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya to Chukotka. On floating ice it sometimes reaches Kamchatka. Distant visits deep into the mainland (up to 500 km along the Yenisei River) have been noted. The southern boundary of the habitat coincides with the edge of drifting ice.
3. Lifestyle and nutrition
Inhabits drifting and landfast sea ice where it hunts its main prey: ringed seal, sea hare, walrus and other marine animals. He catches them, sneaking up from behind shelters, or near the holes: as soon as the animal sticks its head out of the water, the bear stuns the prey with a blow of its paw and pulls it out onto the ice. Sometimes it overturns an ice floe from below, on which there are seals. A walrus can only be dealt with on land. First of all, it devours the skin and fat, the rest of the carcass - only in case of severe hunger. The rest of the prey is eaten by Arctic foxes. On occasion picks up carrion, dead fish, eggs and chicks, can eat grass and seaweed, in habitable places eats in garbage dumps. There are cases of robbery by him of food warehouses of polar expeditions.
Makes seasonal migrations in accordance with annual changes in the border polar ice: in summer it retreats with them closer to the pole, in winter it moves south, entering the mainland. Although the polar bear keeps mainly on the coast and ice, in winter it can lie in a den on the mainland or on the islands, sometimes 50 km from the sea.
AT hibernation, lasting 50-80 days, mainly pregnant females lie down. Males and single females hibernate on short term and not annually.
Despite the seeming sluggishness, polar bears are fast and agile even on land, and easily swim and dive in the water. Very thick, dense coat protects the bear's body from cold and getting wet in ice water. An important adaptive role is played by a powerful layer of subcutaneous fat up to 10 cm thick. The white color helps to camouflage the predator. The sense of smell, hearing and vision are well developed - a bear can see its prey for several kilometers, a ringed seal can be smelled for 800 m, and, being right above its nest, hears the slightest movement.
4. social structure and reproduction
Solitary animals. As a rule, they are peaceful towards each other, but between males in mating season skirmishes happen. Adult males may attack cubs, mostly males.
In October, females dig a lair in coastal snow drifts. Bears have favorite places, where they massively gather for puppies, for example, Fr. Wrangel or Franz Josef Land, where there are 150-200 lairs annually.
Newborns are helpless, like all bears, and have a mass of 450 to 750. After 3 months, the female leaves the den with them and switches to a wandering lifestyle. The cubs stay with her for up to 1.5 years, all this time the bear feeds them with milk. In broods usually 1-3, more often 1-2 cubs.
Life expectancy - a maximum of 25-30 years; in captivity, the longevity record is 45 years.
5. Economic importance
The inhabitants of the Arctic, for example, the Eskimos hunt the polar bear for the sake of the skin and meat. In Russia, hunting for it has been completely prohibited since 1956.
6. Population status and protection
The polar bear is protected in the reserve on Wrangel Island, listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. Slow reproduction and high mortality of young animals make this animal easily vulnerable.
By the beginning of the 70s. 20th century 5-7 thousand polar bears lived in the Russian sector of the Arctic, and throughout the Arctic their number did not exceed 20 thousand. In 1973 was signed international agreement on the conservation of the polar bear. Ten years later, the number of bears increased and amounted to over 25 thousand.
Zoos perform important function to maintain endangered species: animal habits are studied, the public is informed about endangered species, and breeding programs are coordinated internationally.
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Arctic - surrounding region North Pole, which includes almost the entire Northern Arctic Ocean, Greenland, as well as the northern territories of the USA, Canada, Iceland, Scandinavia and Russia.
The climate is characterized by long, cold winters and short cool summer. Precipitation in the Arctic usually falls in the form of snow. Many parts of the Arctic are arid and receive less than 500 mm of precipitation per year.
And, the inhabitants of the Arctic are well adapted to the harsh environment. Arctic vegetation is hardy and most 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 prey on herbivores.
Below are the various animals that inhabit the Arctic, as well as given short description their features allowing you to live in one of the most harsh conditions on our planet.
Wildlife of the Arctic:
arctic fox
(Alopex lagopus)- a medium-sized species of foxes that inhabits the Arctic. Arctic foxes feed on a variety of small animals including rabbits, lemmings, voles, birds, and carrion. They have thick fur which allows them to maintain 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 occasionally eat beached whale, walrus, and bird eggs. range habitat polar bears limited to the Arctic, where a large amount 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 Eastern Siberia, Wrangel Island, the Beaufort Sea and the coast of Northern Alaska. Walruses feed on a variety of animals, including mollusks, sea cucumbers, shrimp, crab tube worms and other marine invertebrates. Walruses are threatened by several predators, including killer whales and polar bears.
musk ox
(Ovibos moschatus)- large ungulate mammals that belong to the same family as bison, antelopes, goats and large cattle. Musk oxen live in the tundra and the Arctic, where they feed on plant foods such as lichens, moss, flowers, grass, and roots. Thick and long wool helps to keep body heat in extremely cold environments. The outer layer of long, coarse guard hairs protects from the wind, and the inner layer of the shorter ones provides insulation.
Musk oxen form large herds of two to three dozen individuals, which gives them protection from predators.
The habitat range of harp seals extends on the ice of the Arctic and the northern part Atlantic Oceans, from Newfoundland to northern Russia.
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