What Animals Live in the Arctic Ecosystem

Contents:

Mammals
Seals
Whales
Birds

Polar Bears

Undoubtedly the Male monarch of the Arctic, the mighty polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a large mammal, growing upwards to 2.7m long and 720kg in weight. Their thick insulating fur, which fifty-fifty grows on the lesser of their paws, allows them to camouflage with the snow, whereas their skin is black, to allow for ameliorate absorption of the rut from the sun.

Typically, males are solitary, and are often territorial and aggressive, whereas females volition alive with their young for up to 28 months, spending fourth dimension to teach the young important survival skills. In Churchill, we have the opportunity to get upwards close and personal with the mighty conduct in large tundra buggies, giving us the opportunity for that once-in-a-lifetime photo shoot.

Arctic Animals & Wildlife

Land-based Mammals

Arctic Fox

Otherwise known equally Vulpes lagopus, this small, omnivorous land mammal has adapted to the far N, with the ability to survive frigid temperatures equally depression as -50 degrees Celsius. It can be found in North Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard and Russian federationmaking its appearance on your trip highly likely. They can ofttimes exist seen tunnelling into snow to create burrows and shelter. Its seasonal blueish/grayness fur allows for superb winter camouflage, and evasion from its predators.

Arctic Animals & Wildlife

Reindeer

The reindeer is an Chill tundra mammal, which is found largely in Svalbard and some areas of the Canadian and Russian Chill. Their meat and warm pelts make them important domesticated animals for many Arctic peoples. Reverse to pop conventionalities, both males and females have antlers, with the bull of the herd usually boasting the largest.

Musk Oxen

Noted for its thick coat and stocky stature, the Musk Oxen is mutual in the Canadian Chill and Greenland . The boilerplate ox stands at well-nigh i.5m tall and can counterbalance anywhere from 180 - 410kg depending on season and age. They are able to sew to 37 mph and can alive up to twenty years.

Chill Hare

This small mammal lives in the Canadian tundra. Uncommon to other mammals similar to the Arctic Hare, they do not hibernate, simply instead suit both physiologically and behaviourally depending on season to survive in the deep cold of the Chill winter. The sometimes dig shelters where they can gather to conserve heat and can be seen gnawing on wood, mosses and lichens during winter for diet. During summer months, they prefer to consume berries and institute roots.

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Dive says

The numerous regions which make upwardly The Arctic each have differing brute and so the area y'all choose to visit, either on a cruise or on a land excursion, will dictate the wild fauna y'all're probable to encounter.

Walrus & Seals

Walrus

The Atlantic Walrus is present in the Canadian Arctic, Greenland and Svalbard, while the Pacific sub speciesouth is establish from the Bering Bounding main to the Due east Siberian Seas. This iconic Arctic mammal is instantly recognised by its long and curved tusks which can grow upward to a metre long and weigh 5kg.

Brown in color, Walrus can appear white after diving, or even pink when they are warm due to a variation in their blood supply to the periphery of their body under different circumstances.

Whalrus(1)

Bearded Seal

The bearded seal is amedium-sized earless seal, well known for its dull dark-brown color and bigbushy beard. Large beasts, they can grow betweentwo.ane-two.7m long and can range from200 to 430 kgin weight. It is hardly surprising therefore, that a bearded seal can have atrunk fat content of upwards to40%! They besides make for a major nutrient source to bothpolar bears and Inuit people on the Arctic coasts. Their skins are besides traditionally used to brandshoes,dog sled harnesses and in the construction ofsummer tents.

Arctic Animals & Wildlife

Ringed Seal

The not bad Phoca hispida is the well-nigh common seal throughout the Northern hemisphere and feed largely on arctic cod and crustaceans. The ringed seal is too the smallest seal, growing upwardly to a maximum of i.65m and up to 70kg in weight - a similar size to most humans. They live in colonies and spend most of their time near shore ice but are physiologically adapted such that they tin can swoop upwards to 90m deep for upwardly to 45 minutes. They also tend to blow bubbling before they reach the surface, to evade their number i predator, polar bears.

A ringed seal in Chill waters

Whales

Bowhead

Measuring upwards to a gigantic xv-eighteen metres and over 100,000kg in weight, the Bowhead is an incredibly powerful sea beast. Every bit if to testify this, they use their big heads and powerful bodies to suspension through sea ice at least 20cms thick, with some reports of bowheads breaking through ice upwards to 60 cms thick! The fundamental identification marker of this species is its large symmetrical skull, which composes ane/3 of its trunk length, and paired blowholes. In add-on, Bowhead whales don't have dorsal fins.

Arctic Animals & Wildlife

Narwhal

The narwhal is a porpoise constitute in Arctic coastal waters and, occasionally, rivers. They have 2 teeth, with the prominent tooth growing through the upper lip up to two.7 metres long in the male. This presents itself as the large horn that makes narwhal and so memorable.

These 'Unicorns of the Sea' are largely cannibal, feeding on fish, shrimp, squid and other aquatic wild animals. They also besiege in groups, spanning anywhere from 15 to several thou and these groups are sometimes hunted by Inuit people for their tusks and skin.

Narwhal tusks break the surface in the Canadian Chill

Humpback

With flippers upwards to 1/iii of its total trunk length, the humpback truly is the male monarch of the body of water. Each private has a unique white pattern on the underside of its belly and they can weigh anywhere between 25.four and 35.5 tonnes. Lengthwise, they measure between xi and 19 metres, with males by and large existence smaller than females.

Beluga

The Beluga's bright white appearance make them easily distinguishable to the bully whale sentry. Unlike most whales, the beluga whale has a flexible cervix which allows it to turn its head in all directions. They are very sociable animals, and live together in small groups. Beluga whales, given to their minor size, are often casualty for polar bears and killer whales.

Arctic Birds

Brunnich'due south Guillemot

The and can be found congregating in large colonies in the bird cliffs of Alkefjellet , Svalbard. The adult bird tin can grow up to 41cm and up to 1.2kg. The Brunnich'south bill is also shorter and thicker than the common guillemot. The bird's telephone call is similar to the sound of a growl.

Arctic Animals & Wildlife

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