10 Animals of the Polar Regions

Polar regions also known as the frigid zones or polar zones are the coldest regions in the world. The Arctic of the north is a partly frozen ocean surrounded by barren, and often frozen, land. The Antarctic (Southern part) is an ice-covered continent that is surrounded by stormy oceans. The animals live on the land in the Arctic and in the Antarctic, animals used to live where the ice meets the ocean. Here is the list of animals of the polar regions,

Animals of the Polar Regions

1. Arctic Fox

Arctic Fox is a type of fox native to the Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere and one of the common species of animal in the tundra biome. Arctic fix range includes Greenland, Iceland, Fennoscandia, Svalbard, Jan Mayen, and limited islands on the Barents Sea, northern Russia, islands in the Bering Sea, Alaska, and Canada as far south as Hudson Bay. These animals will have small ears used to live in dens that have several entrances and have been lived in by generations of foxes for centuries. The primary diet includes berries, insects, carrion, and even animal or human stools.

Also Read: 10 Different Types Of Taiga Animals

2. Rock ptarmigan

Rock ptarmigan is a beautiful white bird found in Alaska, Canada, Iceland, Greenland, Scandinavia, and Russia. The female species can be identified with brown-grayish plumage, however, males have white bellies and grey backs. The primary diet of bird species consists of leaves, buds, berries, twigs, and flowers, however, insects are the major source of food for the young birds. The chicks of Rock ptarmigan are coveted with dense feathers and they are ready to leave nests 6 to 12 hours after hatching.

3. Caribou

Caribou is a tundra biome animal found in the northern parts of Europe, Asia, Greenland, and North America. Talking about the apperance, the body is covered with a winter coat which provides insulation at the low outer temperatures. The color of the fur depends on the species and ranges from dark to light brown. They are one of the fastest animals that can run at a speed of 50 miles per hour especially when they are trying to escape from predators. It is also listed as one of the animals that travel the farthest in the world.

4. Coati

Coati is a medium-sized mammal that belongs to the raccoon family. The body length is between 13 to 27 inches in length and the average weight is between 6 to 18 pounds of weight. These diurnal animals are active during the day and produce chirping, snorting, and grunting noises to express their mood and even to alert other members about the potential danger. The pregnancy in coati lasts for 11 weeks and ends with 2 to 7 babies. The avarage lifespan of 7 to 8 years in the wild, and up to 15 years in the captivity.

5. Coyote

The coyote is a member of the canine (dog) family found in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The body length of a Coyote is between 32 to 37 inches long and the average weight is between 20 and 50 pounds. The dietary habit is omnivores in nature and needs rabbits, rodents (rats, mice, squirrels), antelopes, lizards, birds, cactus fruits, and flowers. The main predators of coyotes are bears, cougars, wolves, and humans. The avarage lifespan of coyotes is between 10 to 14 years and upto 20 years in captivity.

6. Deer

Deer is a member of the Cervidae family and native to Europe, Asia, North America, South America, and northern Africa. As of now, 50 species of deer are known to humans including elk, moose, caribou or reindeer, muntjac, red deer, and white-tailed deer, among others. Moose of elk is the largest species in the deer family that can grow upto 2 meters (6.5 feet) from hoof to shoulder and the average weight is around 820 kilograms (1,800 pounds) the smallest deer species is pudu which weighs around 9 kilograms (20 pounds) and can grow upto 36 centimeters (14 inches) tall when fully grown.

7. Muskox

Musk ox is a cloven-hoofed mammal that belongs to the bovid family. The body length of muskox is between 4.4 to 8.2 feet in length and 400 to 900 pounds in weight. Talking about the appearance, it comes with long, thick wool that can be dark brown or black colored wool on the legs and backlight color. The natural enemies include musk oxen polar bears, wolves, and humans. The dietary habit is an herbivore and feeds on moss, lichen, roots, flowers, and grass.

8. Polar Bear

Polar Bear is a type of bear that spend much of their time in water where they hunt seals which is the main food source. They have an incredible sense of smell and can sense seals on the ice that is 20 miles away. These apex predators take good care of thier hygiene and spend approximately 15 to 20 minutes grooming themselves. Despite living in colder regions, they can easily overheat when they run (due to thick fur and blubber). It is also listed as one of the common winter animals in the world.

9. Walrus

Walrus is a type of aquatic animal found in the Bering Sea, Siberia, Svalbard, and in the eastern and western parts of Greenland and northern Labrador. Talking about the apperance, they have grey to brown skin 6 inches thick equipped with blubber that ensures thermal insulation. The head is broad and the eyes are small, however, both male and female species have tusks. These land and water animals have whiskers known as “vibrisae”, that are used as specialized tactile organs which aid in the food search.

10. Seal

Seals are one of the most popular animals of polar regions that are fin-footed and semiaquatic marine mammals. They are divided into 3 families, phocidae, the earless or true seal, otaridae, eared seals, and odobenidae. As of now, 33 species are found across the world mainly in the Arctic and Antarctica, however, some of them are seen in the tropics as well. The smallest seal species is the Baikal seal which can reach upto 1.3 meters (4 ft 3 in) in length and the average weight is between 63 to 70 kilograms the largest seal species is the southern elephant seal which can reach upto 5.8 meters (19 feet) in length and wieght is upto 4,000 kilograms (8,800 pounds).