Animals of cold countries (photo). Which animals live in the north?

Many may think that the animal kingdom of the cold countries is meager, and fauna representatives can be counted on their fingers. However, this is not quite true. For example, the Arctic has a lot of animals and birds. The main ones here are polar bears.

Behind the polar circle are the tundra zones, forest-tundra, and a little to the north - the zone of the arctic desert. The main difference between such places from the rest is polar long night, short summer and fairly low temperatures. There can live only those creatures that are able to cope with severe climatic conditions. For many years, the animals of the cold countries have adapted to both low temperature and the complex processes of food production.

Polar bear

So, which animals live in the north? The polar bear is the largest predator of the Arctic living on Earth. By their power and size, these animals of the cold countries are second only to their brown relatives, who live in Russia and Alaska. Basically polar bears live on pack ice and in coastal areas.

In the tidal band, there is a lot of plankton, which is eaten by other animals and fish. It is these representatives of the fauna that are the main prey of polar bears. Usually they hunt for small seals. These animals are enough in the Arctic. The white bear makes a white bear in the ice. Female individuals give birth to one or several calves.

How the polar bear hunts

Polar bears in search of seals stand on their hind legs and sniff. It is worth noting that these animals of the cold countries, whose photos are impressive, can smell their prey for a kilometer. The polar bear usually approaches the victim from the leeward side. As a result, the wind does not convey the smell of the prey to the seal. Bears creep to the rookery of the seals on their belly. Many argue that this animal covers its black nose with its paw to be more invisible. After the polar bear chooses the victim, he grabs her in a clever throw.

If seals rest on an ice floe, then hunting becomes even easier. The bear swims to the victim and just pulls the nearest seal in the water.

The most interesting thing is that these animals of the northern countries are able to save food supplies for more difficult periods. Often the Arctic ice is clamped in the narrow ice-rim of the killer whales. The bear stuns its prey with strong blows, and, throwing it not the shore, piles it up.

Also, these predators do not mind eating walruses. However, they can not catch them in an open polar bear. Walruses are much stronger than them. Therefore, bears run around the rookery and growl. Shy walruses panic in the sea. Bears still have to pick up the crushed cubs and wounded adult animals.

In summer, the arctic predator goes to the tundra to diversify its diet with nesting birds, lemmings, mosses, berries and lichens.

Arctic fox

These animals are found in many Arctic ecosystems in almost the entire Northern Hemisphere. Arctic foxes live even in Iceland. Here, this species is considered to be the only mammal that lives on the surface of the Earth. Arctic foxes appeared in Iceland after the last ice age. The animals just crossed the frozen water on the volcanic island. The foxes look very much like a fox. In Scandinavia, this species is considered to be endangered. For more than one decade these animals have been guarded.

Sea Leopard

The animal world of the north is amazing and diverse. The most successful and brave hunter of Antarctica is the sea leopard. This animal grabs its prey with sharp teeth. In this preference, marine leopards give crab and penguin seals, but they also do not deny themselves large quantities of krill. These animals of the cold countries have a long body that can reach three meters. The adult sea leopard weighs on the average about 300 kilograms. It is worth noting that males are smaller in size than females. The birth of young is carried out in the summer on pack ice.

Caribou

Forest caribou - this is the reindeer, who was tamed. This species lives in the southern part of Alaska, in Greenland, Russia and Canada. It should be noted that this is the only species of deer, where both females and males have horns. These domesticated animals are protected, as they are a vanishing species.

Wolverine

Many at the thought of wolverine imagine a ferocious and dangerous predator, which looks like a wolf. In fact, these animals of the cold countries belong to the family of cunies. Outwardly, the wolverine looks more like a river otter. The claws of these animals have the property of being half stretched. However, the wolverine uses them mainly for climbing or digging.

Lynx

These animals have not been sufficiently studied. Of course, everyone knows that the lynx belong to the cat family and has a relatively small size. They have long legs and, of course, wide paws. Without this, it is difficult to manage in the conditions of severe climate. This structure of the paws greatly facilitates the movement in deep snow.

Mostly, lynx hunts small hare-hares. It is worth noting that in the 1970s these representatives of the cat were considered an extinct species. However, after some time, the lynx appeared again. To date, these animals are just those species that are on the verge of extinction. Therefore hunting for a lynx is forbidden.

Hare-hare

Animals in cold countries survive in completely different ways. Take at least rabbit hares. This species lives mainly in the northern part of Greenland, Canada and Alaska. In winter, the fur of animals becomes snow-white. This provides them with maximum camouflage against the background of snow. In the summer, the color of the hare-rabbit is usually gray-brown in color. It is worth noting that this species is not endangered.

Red fox

This animal can be found on any continent. An exception in this case is Antarctica. It is worth noting that they are considered very dangerous in almost all ecosystems. For example, in 1855 a red fox was introduced to Australia exclusively for recreational hunting. However, this species has caught on here. After only 150 years, the red fox has become a threat to the huge number of populations of mammals and birds that inhabit this small continent.

Seals

These wild animals of the cold countries form a special group. Seals live in the arctic region for more than one millennium. There are several varieties: Greenland, sea hare, ringed seal and common.

The harp seal differs from its relatives in a beautiful pattern on its own skin. But the sea hare is the largest. The average height of this animal is 2.5 meters. The sea hare weighs almost 400 kilograms.

As for the ordinary seal, it is inferior in size and color to its brethren. However, their feature is expressive and very beautiful eyes. Seals also include ringed seals. Representatives of this species are much smaller than other species, but they are more mobile, and also are able to dig holes in the snow.

Walruses

They are the closest relatives of the seals. Walruses are pinniped animals and are quite large in size. Their body length can reach three meters. In this case, the weight of an adult animal on average is almost a ton. Walruses have powerful fangs. They need them to dig the seabed. Here, animals produce shellfish, which is the main part of their diet. Often walruses use their fangs both for protection and for attack. After all, these animals are predators and can easily eat seals or seals.

Lemming

This species of rodents is of particular importance for the entire animal kingdom of the Arctic. Lemmings in size are slightly smaller than mice and are the main food for many animals. For example, the population of polar owls depends on the number of these rodents. It should be noted that in those years when there are very few lemmings, this bird does not even nest. The existence of foxes also depends on the number of rodents. These animals do not travel if the number of lemmings is small.

Although the diet of reindeer consists mainly of plants, they also do not mind eating these animals.

Finally

The Arctic zone is a vast expanse stretching from the Aleutian Islands to Iceland. Here reigns cold and endless ice. The Arctic zone is shores covered with a thick layer of ice, rocky islands, endless tundra and icy waters of the Arctic Ocean. In this part of the world everything looks unfriendly, gloomy and harsh. An integral part of the nature of the Arctic are polar nights and days, heavy snowfalls, fogs and icy winds.

Which animals live in the north? Who is able to withstand such conditions? Ironically, among the snowdrifts and eternal ice life rages. This is indicated by the cries of birds, and the growling of polar bears, and the roar of walruses. The fauna of the cold countries is amazing and unique. Many fauna representatives in the northern parts of the continents are on the verge of extinction and need protection.