{"id":1271,"date":"2021-12-27T17:46:09","date_gmt":"2021-12-27T17:46:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/interestinganimalfacts.com\/?p=1271"},"modified":"2021-12-27T17:46:11","modified_gmt":"2021-12-27T17:46:11","slug":"animals-that-live-in-the-tundra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/interestinganimalfacts.com\/animals-that-live-in-the-tundra\/","title":{"rendered":"Animals That Live In The Tundra"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Our planet is the home of countless unique creatures. However, some parts of the Earth are less hospitable than others, so you find fewer animals there. Nevertheless, a few species have adapted to survive some of the harshest environments in the world.
The freezing tundra is one of the toughest places to live, and even trees can\u2019t survive the low temperatures. Despite this, if you can brave the harsh climate you\u2019ll be met with an array of amazing wildlife, who have evolved over millions of years to be able to live in this cold wilderness.
So if you\u2019re visiting a tundra area, or simply want to know more about their ecosystems, here are some of the animals that live there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So what is a tundra? If you\u2019re aren\u2019t fully familiar with the term, here\u2019s a bit of background.
Tundra is a treeless region characterized by particularly low temperatures and lack of rain, found at the furthest northern reaches of the globe. The icy rugged terrain of the tundra makes it mostly barren, with year-round permafrost hindering plant growth.
Tundra areas are extremely cold – during winter, the average temperature is -30\u00b0F, and can drop as low as -50\u00b0F. Tundra can also have fewer than two months collectively of days above 32\u00b0F annually, spending almost the whole year below freezing. They\u2019re also exceptionally dry, with only around 10 inches of precipitation a year (much of that being snow).
Tundra biomes are found in northern polar regions like the Arctic and Arctic Circle. Most tundra is in northern parts of Russia, Canada, Greenland, and Scandinavia. You can also find tundra in parts of Alaska and Iceland and even some sub-Antarctic Islands.
While some tundra areas can grow shrubs and grass, tundra is classified as a polar desert due to its icy temperatures and lack of rain.
However, that\u2019s not to say it\u2019s uninhabitable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite its bitter cold, strong wind, and dry climate, the tundra is home to a range of mammals, birds, and aquatic life. These animals have evolved over time, and are equipped to manage the tundra\u2019s barren environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many of the mammals you can find in the tundra are rodents, such as lemmings, shrews, and chinchillas. Most of these rodents live in colonies, in locations ranging from underground borrows to high mountain peaks.
Arctic hares are also a common sight in tundra regions and are easier to spot in the summer when their fur is brown.
In a similar way, Arctic foxes are also easier to see with their brown summer coats. When it turns to winter, both of these animals will change to camouflage against the snow, their coats becoming white to blend in.
Mountain goats are also common in North American tundras, especially in rocky areas. These white goats are renowned for their steadiness while climbing through difficult terrain, which makes it easier for them to escape predators.
The tundra is home to larger creatures, too. Yaks, musk ox, and caribou (or \u2018reindeer\u2019, as it\u2019s known in some parts of the world) live throughout the tundra. These large creatures are farmed by people in tundra regions for their fur, meat, and milk.
You can also find gray wolves in some parts of the tundra, though they often prefer to live a bit further south.
Perhaps the tundra\u2019s most iconic animal is the polar bear, which lives in the tundra of the Arctic Circle. These large white bears travel further north in the summer to give birth and hunt for extra food and then hibernate during the winter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n