The Survival;
The Arctic Fox has a thick, warm coat in which has been adapted to change from white in the winter (blending in with snow) to brown/grey in the summer (to blend in with the rocky terrain of the tundra during the summer. The Arctic Fox's diet consists mainly of small rodents, birds, and fish. But, when food is scarce, the fox will trail a large predator, such as the polar bear, as to eat the scraps of the larger predators prey, as well as scavenge for arctic vegetables. Thus making the Arctic Fox an omnivore and a scavenger, not dissimilar to a brown bear. This relationship with a large predator such as the polar bear is thus marked as commensalism (+/0), where the polar bear is unaffected by the benefit of the Arctic Fox feeding on its leftover prey. The Arctic Fox has adapted to this extreme environment, that is the Arctic, with an extremely thick fur coat, and a long, furry tail that the fox utilizes to cover itself for protection from the cold and wind, as well as for balance (similar to a cat). Also the fox has fur on the bottom of its paws to maintain warmth and traction in snow during the Winter. The fox has also developed many habits that help it to survive in the Arctic Tundra, such as digging burrows to store food, which freezes, keeping it from spoiling before the fox consumes it. Also, due to the Arctic Fox's short life span of only three to six years, female Arctic Foxes can breed up to twenty-five times a year, giving birth to six to nine cubs at a time, though many do not live longer than six months. The Arctic Fox has also adapted to hunting in its environment with short, densely furred (to retain heat), front facing round ears which allow the fox to hear prey beneath the snow. Once the fox has found its prey beneath the snow, it leaps and pounces on top of where the rodent is, and traps it.