![]() ![]() ![]() But hearing a lemming is only the first step in getting a meal. This includes listening for lemmings under the snow. An ambush from aboveĪrctic foxes spend hours each day roaming across the tundra during winter looking for food. But wild canids, including arctic foxes, still very much need this unique ability to survive. Because human beings domesticated dogs, they don’t need to use their special hearing to find food – we make it easy by filling their food bowls every day. Most people can’t hear this sound, but your dog and arctic foxes can hear it just fine. It sort of sounds like the softest gust of wind causing grass blades to rub against each other. What does a mouse or lemming sound like when it runs through the grass or snow? It makes a quiet, high-pitched rustling sound. In fact, there was probably a mouse or vole moving nearby, and your dog was able to hear its footsteps. Have you ever seen a dog running through tall grass and then suddenly stop short, tilting its head back and forth? It probably looked like it was listening to something, even though you couldn’t detect what might attract its attention. Like other canid species – a fancy way to describe dog-like animals – arctic foxes have very sensitive ears. The snow insulates them from the cold air above, allowing them to stay active even during the middle of winter.īut how do arctic foxes find lemmings that are hidden underneath the snow? The answer: by listening for their footsteps! Hearing like a dog To survive the cold winters, they remain active under deep snow, moving through tunnels, and search for leaves, roots and berries to eat. Lemmings are small rodents that live on the arctic tundra all year. While they still hunt some birds, like ptarmigan, on top of the snow, arctic foxes often turn their attention to food found underneath the snow – specifically, lemmings. The foxes are left with fewer food choices. Many of the bird species that arctic foxes hunt during the summer migrate south to escape the harsh winter weather. Their changing color helps keep these foxes hidden year-round. As winter nears, arctic foxes shed their dark fur and begin growing all white fur to blend in with the snow and ice. This camouflage helps arctic foxes slowly sneak up on their prey and avoid being eaten themselves.īut dark fur would make arctic foxes easy to see on the all-white winter tundra once it’s covered with snow. During summer, their gray and brown fur blends in with tundra rocks and plant life. Arctic foxes actually change color with the seasons.
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