1/17/2024 0 Comments Arctic fox predatorsAlthough, when food is in short supply they are forced to compete with one another. Both snowy owls and arctic foxes are competing predators for lemmings and other small rodents so they will try to get rid of the competition if possible.Īs these harsh and cold environments require conservation of energy, they will often act passively to one another. Snowy owls are predators of the arctic fox for similar reasons to the red fox mentioned above. However, they have been observed taking carcasses from fox dens and will often be mobbed by foxes 9 (source: Foraging Behaviours of Wolverines at a Large Arctic Goose Colony, Arctic, Vol. Wolverines are also considered to be opportunistic carnivores like arctic wolves although they are rarely seen so their behaviors are not well documented. Wolverines are very different from wolves because they are part of the weasel family rather than the candid family like wolves and arctic foxes. ![]() However, studies have also found them to eat arctic fox pups, arctic hare, lemming, and caribou 7 (source: Exploring the diet of arctic wolves at their northern range limit, Canadian Journal of Zoology, Oct 2017) 8 (source: Diet of Arctic Wolves on Banks and Northwest Victoria Islands 1992-2001, Larter, 2013). They can do this as they hunt in packs to capture their prey. However, they are carnivores and typically feed on larger mammals such as muskoxen and caribou. Similar to arctic foxes, wolves are also part of the candid family of animals. This is less suitable for arctic foxes and favors the red fox.īecause these two species of fox are competing for prey resources, the red foxes attack the arctic foxes which is known as intraguild predation, this has the dual benefit for red foxes as they can feed upon the arctic foxes and can eliminate competitors for their prey.Īrctic foxes are unable to breed within approximately 8km of a red fox den as the red foxes will kill their young 4 (source: The Biology and Conservation of Wild Canids, Macdonald and Claudio Sillero-Zubiri, 2004). ![]() The rising temperatures have allowed more plant species to spread north which has resulted in large parts of the tundra turning to forest areas. Due to climate change, the camouflage of the arctic fox is less effective in areas where snow cover has reduced so the red foxes are becoming more dominant 3 (source: Climate Change Biology, Lee Hannah, 2011). Although part of the same family, red foxes are now the greatest predators of the arctic fox and one of the reasons they are endangered in some regions 2 (source: ICUN Red List, 2009).
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