Why Are Arctic Foxes Endangered?

Several reasons are contributing to the endangered status of the Arctic fox, including the poor availability of lemmings as prey, which have not had their peak years of yield lately. Also, the spread of the predator red fox in Arctic fox habitats is also a factor. Slowdowns in Arctic fox breeding is keeping the population from replenishing itself. White in the winter and grayish-brown in the summer, the Arctic fox relies on small mammals such as the lemming, as well as the bird and vole, in addition to fish and berries, to survive.

Several projects are underway to keep the Arctic fox from becoming extinct, such as the Swedish-Finnish-Norwegian Arctic Fox Project, which undertook measures between 2003 and 2008 to double the breeding Arctic fox population throughout those countries. However, while numbers have remained stable since the end of SEFALO, it is vital that conversation practices continue to protect the growth of the population. Ideally, the stress on the population will continue to decrease so that breeding can continue. Other animals that are at risk in that part of the world are the Norwegian brown bear, the wolverine, the snow owl and the lynx. Continued efforts can help all of those species reverse the trend and thrive.