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Arctic Animals

What animals live in the Arctic?

Polar bears, Arctic foxes, snowy owls, walruses and narwhals all use habitats in the far north. Some are closely tied to the Arctic. Others visit seasonally or have ranges that extend well south of it. This directory uses the Arctic region tag and includes animals from tundra, sea ice, open water and northern coasts. Open a photograph to see where the animal occurs, what it eats and which other species share its environment.

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Tundra, sea ice and open water

On land, tundra supports animals that find food among low plants, bare ground and seasonal snow. At sea, ice forms a moving platform for some animals and a seasonal barrier for others. A polar bear can wait on the ice for a seal to surface. A walrus feeds in water and can come out onto ice or shore to rest. A narwhal spends its life in water, breathing at openings in the ice when it visits ice-covered areas.

Getting through the seasons

The Arctic year changes dramatically as daylight and ice come and go. Thick fur or blubber helps keep some animals warm. Others cope by moving to places where food remains available. The white winter coat of many Arctic foxes offers camouflage on snow, while some foxes have a darker coat that is more common in coastal settings. Snowy owls may travel far from their breeding areas, and a sighting well to the south can reflect winter movement.

Compare the northern and southern poles

The Arctic is centred on an ocean surrounded by continents. Antarctica is a continent surrounded by ocean. Polar bears belong to the north, while emperor penguins breed in Antarctica and are outside this list. Start with two Arctic examples, such as a fox and a walrus, and identify what each animal relies on for food and shelter. Then use the ocean collection to compare them with animals from warmer seas or the Southern Ocean.

Arctic Animals List