Hello Earth Rangers! Brrr… it can be chilly in the arctic. But guess who doesn’t mind so much… it’s the marvelous arctic fox! In today’s episode Emma studies this cute colour-changing fox, and talks to a real-life arctic fox expert to find out what life is like in the Arctic, and what the arctic fox actually says. We also hear about 4 other very peculiar types of foxes, one of which is totally fake. Can you guess which is it?
Arctic foxes change their fur twice a year to match the colour of the arctic environment in the winter (left) or summer (right). It’s easy to miss the foxes in these two photos:
Here is an arctic fox in the awkward transition stage between winter and summer coat:
And this is an arctic fox with dark coat – it’s called a ‘blue morph’ and it is very rare:
Our expert guest in this episode is – Jeanne Clermont from Université du Québec à Rimouski. Jeanne studies arctic fox populations in Bylot island – up in northern Nunavut. This is a photo of her in the field:
Ultimate Showdown – Arctic Edition
Arctic fox vs. Arctic hare. Find out who is better adapted to the freezing arctic in today’s episode.
Arctic foxes are losing their habitats because of climate change. Want to help? Adopt an arctic fox today! and help Earth Rangers support McGill University researcher Emily Choy as she examines the effects of climate change on a common Arctic fox prey species— thick-billed murres—on Coats Island in the Arctic. Arctic foxes are frequently seen cruising the shores of Coats Island looking for seabird nests, where they will feast on murre eggs during the summer when colonies nest in the thousands. Protecting the integrity of these colonies is crucial in ensuring that this food source remains stable for Arctic foxes.
We want to hear from you! Send us your best animal stories and it could be featured on the podcast!
You can send in a voice message by pressing the green button or use the voice recorder on a smart phone and ask your parents to email it to podcast@earthrangers.com
In today’s episode Archer ‘nature kid’ tells a story about his dangerous encounter with a king brown snake, a highly venomous Australian snake. Here in Canada we have two venomous snakes – the Massasauga rattlesnake and the Prairie rattlesnake. In this quiz we talk how to tell the difference between the Massasauga rattlesnake and a harmless eastern milk snake.
Which coat of the arctic fox is your favourite?
Did you spot the fake fox?
What animal would you like Earth Ranger Emma to cover next?
Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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