Arctic Fox

The Arctic fox is a cousin of the red fox, but smaller. It lives, among other places, in northern Sweden. In the display case in the Nordic Animal Hall, you can see it in its winter coat.

The Arctic fox was once common in Sweden but has declined significantly due to intensive hunting in the early 1900s. A reduced availability of its main food source, small rodents, has also contributed to difficulties for the species in our country.

The Arctic fox is smaller than the red fox. It changes its coat, from the dark summer coat to the white winter coat. They grow to about 60 cm long and weigh 4-6 kg. In the wild, they live for 6-7 years. They become sexually mature after about 9 months but often stay with their parents for a season to help raise the next litter of pups.