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Walrus
Did You Know? Walruses use their tusks to haul themselves out of the water.
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Polar Bear
Did You Know? Polar bears can smell seals from over a mile away.
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Elk
Did You Know? Elk antlers can grow up to an inch per day!
Located in the northernmost part of our planet, the Arctic Region is characterized by extreme conditions and animal adaptations. Animals include mammals like Arctic foxes, Arctic ground squirrels, Arctic hares, Arctic wolves, caribou or reindeer, musk oxen, polar bears, and wolverines. Other aquatic Arctic mammals such as beluga whales, Greenland sharks, narwhals, orcas or killer whales, sea otters, walrus, and numerous seal species reside in the region. Arctic birds including terns, bald eagles, ptarmigans, and puffins also inhabit the area.
Despite the Arctic being one of the most hostile environments, it is home to various species, many of which have special adaptations that enable them to live in either the frozen Arctic tundra or the icy waters surrounding the North Pole.
Fun Fact:
Polar bears have black skin underneath their white fur to absorb and retain heat from the sun—helping them stay warm in the freezing Arctic!
The Arctic is rich in natural and cultural history—subsistence is the traditional cultural identity of the people who live there and requires an intimate knowledge of its lands, rivers, weather, and animals—knowledge passed down from generation to generation that continues to live on in modern descendants. The region’s boundary is the Arctic Circle, an imaginary line around the Earth where at least one day each year, the sun does not completely set (June 21) or rise (December 22).
Examples of Arctic animal adaptations include thick, multi-layered coats; fur that changes color with the seasons and provides camouflage; layers of body fat to provide insulation; seasonal migration between feeding and breeding grounds; hibernation during the coldest months of the year; large body size with a proportionally smaller surface area through which heat can be lost; and small extremities whereby heat can be lost, such as ears or noses. Keep your eye out for polar bears, seals, penguins, walrus, and caribou!
Discover the Arctic’s Native Species
