A message on the topic of animals of the ice zone. Arctic plants. Harsh winter in the Arctic

Arctic - surrounding region North Pole, which includes almost the entire Northern Arctic Ocean, Greenland, as well as the northern territories of the USA, Canada, Iceland, Scandinavia and Russia.

The climate is characterized by long, cold winters and short, cool summers. Precipitation in the Arctic typically falls in the form of snow. Many parts of the Arctic are arid and receive less than 500 mm of precipitation per year.

And those inhabiting the Arctic are well adapted to the harsh environment. Arctic vegetation is hardy and most species of native flora are compact in size, such as lichens, mosses, small shrubs and grasses. Animals such as Arctic hare, musk ox and pika graze on these plants. Other animals such as Arctic foxes and wolves hunt herbivores.

Below are the various animals that inhabit the Arctic, as well as short description their features allow them to live in one of the harshest conditions on our planet.

Arctic fauna:

Arctic fox

(Alopex lagopus)- a small species of fox that inhabits the Arctic. Arctic foxes feed on a variety of small animals, including rabbits, lemmings, voles, birds and carrion. They have thick fur that allows them to support normal temperature bodies in the extreme cold conditions of the Arctic.

polar bear

(Ursus Maritimus) - one of the most large predators on the ground. Polar bears have a diet that consists almost entirely of ringed seals and seals. They also sometimes eat beached whale carcasses, walruses, and bird eggs. The habitat range of polar bears is limited to the Arctic, where a large number of ice and seals create ideal conditions for these ferocious predators.

Walrus

Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus)- big marine mammal which inhabits the Arctic Ocean, coast Eastern Siberia, Wrangel Island, Beaufort Sea and the coast of Northern Alaska. Walruses eat a variety of animals, including shellfish, sea ​​cucumbers, shrimp, tube worm crabs and other marine invertebrates. Walruses are threatened by several predators, including killer whales and polar bears.

Muskox

(Ovibos moschatus)- large ungulate mammals that belong to the same family as bison, antelope, goats and large cattle. Musk oxen live in the tundra and Arctic, where they feed plant foods, for example, lichens, moss, flowers, grass and roots. The thick, long coat helps keep bodies warm in extremely cold environments. Outer layer of long, coarse guard hairs protects from the wind, and an inner layer of shorter hairs provides insulation.

Musk oxen form large herds of two to three dozen individuals, which gives them protection from predators.

The habitat range of harp seals extends to the ice of the Arctic and northern parts Atlantic Oceans, from Newfoundland to northern Russia.

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The Arctic desert zone is located in the very north of the continents of Eurasia and North America. The climate and living conditions here are very harsh; there is no change of seasons as such. There is a polar night, during which the temperature stays between 30-40 degrees below zero. During the day in this region the air warms up to -10, sometimes up to -3 degrees. That is why the animals of the Arctic deserts are fundamentally different from those that live in our continental latitudes. They are more adapted to survive in harsh conditions. Well, read below about what they are, how they are characteristic and how popular they are.

Feathered permanent residents of the Arctic

For the most part animal world Arctic deserts are represented in the form of birds. The feathered fauna here is represented by 124 different species of sky inhabitants, 55 of which consider the Arctic their home and nest there. Among such sedentary northern birds one can highlight the pink gull, Siberian eider, and guillemot. By the way, representatives of the latter species prefer to nest at the heights of various rocks that are covered with glaciers. At the same time, they do not experience discomfort. Also, the bird fauna of the Arctic deserts is represented in the form of glaucous gulls, white gulls, arctic terns, auks, little auks, etc. The queen among the permanent residents of the northern skies is

Fickle inhabitants of the Arctic skies

When daylight comes in the very north of our planet and the air temperature rises, birds from the tundra, taiga and continental latitudes fly here. Because from the beginning warm days on the shores of the Arctic Ocean you can find brent geese, ruffed geese, tules, brown-winged plovers, white-tailed sandpipers. Flocks of the following birds fly here with them: sandpiper-sparrow, redshank, dunlin, rough-legged buzzard and many others. With the onset of cold weather, all of the above flocks return to more southern latitudes. But this does not mean at all that the fauna of the Arctic deserts is becoming scarcer. Birds fly over this region constantly, and, perhaps, it is thanks to the birds that these lands still show at least the slightest signs of life.

General description of mammals

Animals of the Arctic deserts that live on land or lead a semi-aquatic lifestyle are only 16 species. 4 of them are representatives of marine fauna, but they are not fish, but still mammals. More than half of them are listed in the Red Book Russian Federation. For this reason, hunting in arctic deserts is strictly prohibited, and every individual who is a representative of the fauna here is carefully protected by the government. So, now we will take a closer look at each inhabitant of these latitudes and find out what characteristics they have.

Inhabitants of the icy depths

First, let's look at what cold-water animals we have in the arctic deserts. We often saw photos of many of them on the pages of Soviet textbooks or simply saw them on TV. The most interesting resident of the region is the narwhal. A huge fish that reaches a length of 5 meters and weighs more than one and a half tons. Characteristic feature is long horn, which sticks out of the mouth. It is like an animal's tooth, but it does not perform its inherent functions. Narwhals are the only animals of their kind and have no analogues. The closest relative of this species is the bowhead whale. It is much more massive than a narwhal, but does not have such a huge tooth. It feeds on plankton and swims quite far into the sea. The next marine mammal of the northern regions is the beluga or polar dolphin. It lives at great depths of the ocean and feeds exclusively on fish. Our list ends with the most dangerous northern underwater predator - the killer whale. In addition to the fact that it devours smaller inhabitants northern waters and their shores, it is also dangerous for belugas and seals.

Seals and walruses

The most popular animals in the Arctic deserts are seals. They are a separate population, but have many subspecies. A characteristic feature of all seals are flippers, which replace diverging hind limbs. They end in claws, which allow mammals to easily move across snowy terrain. Among the most striking are the bowhead, (the largest and most dangerous of all species), and sea ​​seal. The latter species is characterized by the smallest size, and at the same time all its representatives are very mobile. But the seal's closest relative, the walrus, is also its danger. Walruses are much larger in size and have sharp fangs, which they use to cut through the ice and get food from the sea. They also need this tool for land hunting. They eat small animals, including seals.

Bears and wolves

The most striking animals in the Arctic desert zone are polar bears. They have an exceptionally white color and dense fur, which allows them to survive the terrible cold both on land and under water, which is simply icy. In addition to the fact that the bear is the king of the Arctic, he is also the most dangerous predator. Eats terrestrial animals and mammals that are smaller in size. It is also dangerous for fish and animals that live in the sea. Polar wolves are not so dangerous, but no less ferocious in the North. They are very beautiful, have a white or brown color and live in flocks of up to 9 individuals. Their prey is arctic foxes, deer, sometimes small seals, as well as all other land animals that are smaller in size.

Red Book of the Russian Federation

The animals of the Arctic deserts listed in the Red Book are almost all the species that were named above. But to have more concrete concept about which inhabitants northern latitudes need to be protected with special attention, we will list them again. The red book contains polar bear, walrus, seal, arctic fox. Of the mammals that live in aquatic environment, narwhals, killer whales, and, for some time now, also belugas, are included in the Red Book. In addition, many species of birds are included in the pages of this book. It's pink and white gull, peregrine falcon, crane-breasted goose, little swan and others.

Afterword

Almost all the animals of the Arctic deserts were listed above. In Russia, all these species have lived since the formation of climate on the planet, and a similar picture has developed in the northern regions of Alaska, as well as in Greenland. fauna of this snow world very unique, not like the other, and most importantly, it is dying out. Therefore, the governments of all countries to which these animals are related carefully protect them. They cannot be hunted, exterminated or harmed in any way.

Arctic - report for children
Animals of the Arctic report for children with photographs

Arctic includes the Arctic Ocean, the Alaska Peninsula, Northern Canada, Greenland, Northern Scandinavia and the coast of Siberia. During the polar night the sun is not visible at all. The ground freezes deeply, becomes covered with ice and snow, and sea ice lasts most of the year. Only a few animals that are most adapted to cold weather can withstand such a harsh climate. The Arctic summer lasts no more than two months, but as the days get longer, some unpretentious plants have time to grow and bloom.
Some arctic animals:

White Arctic fox

The white arctic fox has such thick fur that this animal does not freeze even at -50 degrees. In summer, the arctic fox's fur takes on a grayish tint. The Arctic fox hunts hares, but also catches lemmings - small rodents barely larger than a mouse.



Arctic terns

Arctic terns In winter they fly to warmer climes. These birds are great travelers: in a year they can fly up to 40,000 km!

White hare

White hare, depending on the habitat, in summer it acquires a brown or gray color. But in winter its coat turns white, and then it is almost indistinguishable in the snow.

Muskox

Muskox, thanks to its very thick fur, it looks much larger than it actually is. Under the long hair, which goes down almost to the ground, the musk ox has a thin and delicate undercoat, which falls out at the end of winter. At strong wind The animals are reliably protected, but during snowfall their fur quickly freezes.

Polar bear

Polar bear– a formidable predator; ruler of the icy expanses of the Arctic. Thanks to his keen sense of smell, he tracks seals under the ice, and can smell the corpse of a whale 30 km away. The polar bear is also an excellent swimmer and calmly dives into ice water. To get out, the bear grabs a passing ice floe with its powerful claws. Then the animal shakes itself off, and its fur again becomes dry and does not freeze.

Walruses

U walruses There are strong fangs, they help animals get out of the water, as well as punch holes and breathe when walruses swim under the ice. The longer a male’s fangs are, the more confident he feels among his fellows and the easier it is for him to find a mate.

wild ducks

wild ducks in the summer, during the thaw, they begin to build nests again and flood the shores of small lakes rich in food.

Seals

Arctic– this is the real kingdom of seals: bearded seal, hooded seal, marbled seal. The smallest of the seals, the marbled seal, has a body covered with dark spots, while the bearded vulture has a furry chin. The hooded seal inflates its neck like a ball, attracting the female. The body of the seal pups is covered with thick white fur; the female mother feeds them with nutritious mayonnaise-like milk. Seals swim like fish, but on land or on ice it is difficult for them to move, and they are completely clumsy.

Where do the animals of the Arctic deserts live? North of the 65th parallel there is a zone where there is permafrost, where all year round It’s winter, and frosts reach -60 C, where in the warmest time the temperature does not rise above +3 C, where the snow melts within a month and a half. Here the polar night lasts for six months. And these regions get only a little warmth and moisture from the warm Atlantic currents washing the western coast of Spitsbergen.

How do animals adapt to the Arctic climate?

Not every animal survives in such climatic conditions.
Adaptation of living creatures to the harsh climate of the Arctic
The key problem that animals must cope with in such conditions is maintaining the thermal regime. Each of them has completely unique features.
These include: fur, fat layer or loose plumage. The largest animals have acquired a considerable layer of subcutaneous fat, and their impressive weight contributes to the greatest heat production. Some people have it all the time, while others have thicker fur or plumage with the onset of autumn. Some animals have short ears and legs, and birds tend to have small beaks.
But that's not all. The salvation of the animal world is often a special color, which is acquired with the onset of winter period. It is the change in pigmentation that allows predators to hunt and victims to have the opportunity to escape. Most of them become light or white in color by winter. But not everyone changes color according to the season. Take, for example, a polar bear - it walks around with white fur all year round.
In this way, the animal world adapts to forage at dusk or search for prey in the dark. This is how they retain body heat.

Birds of the Arctic

Birds in arctic desert It is easier to take advantage of the gifts of nature than land animals. Perhaps that is why there are more than 90 species of them here, while there are barely two dozen animals.
Feed in summer time There is enough here, despite the coolness, and there is always the opportunity to hunt. And for the winter you can fly to warmer climes and come back in spring. This is exactly what two thirds of all birds do. But of their species, each adapts in its own way. It is common for ptarmigan to live close to reindeer, wandering in herds. When they tear the snow right down to the soil, looking for lichens, their main food in winter, they open the way to it for partridges.
And ducks and eiders pluck down from the chest and belly and protect the eggs from hypothermia with a thick layer.
Rocks in the northern seas are favored by seabirds as nesting sites. They settle here in entire colonies, forming a real bird market.
Of these, the most common are guillemots, which lay only one large nest, green or blue color. They incubate it continuously, the female is replaced by a male. And still, in the lower part the egg barely heats up to 1 C, while in the upper part it is almost 40.
spread throughout White Owl. To keep warm, nature endowed it with bristles on its beak and hairs on its legs. But its snow-white plumage makes it especially vulnerable in summer period for predators. Owls lay their eggs in almost 30-degree frosts, every other day 7 or 9 times. When the parents are busy searching for food, the hatched owlets warm the remaining eggs.
Owls protect tundra birds without even knowing it. By feeding on rodents, they do not allow them to reproduce particularly, giving this opportunity to other birds. Owls defend their territory extremely aggressively, as well as the nests of ducks, geese, waders and geese that nest nearby. Even an arctic fox who wanders here to make money will not be happy.

Beasts of the Arctic Desert

Polar bear

It is also called polar, northern, “umka”. A large animal with black skin and fur, which is yellow in summer and white in winter. He is not afraid of Morozov. He has a luxurious fur coat and a ten-centimeter layer of fat. He can easily walk on ice without slipping or freezing, because he also has wool on his soles. It swims well thanks to the membrane between its toes, and its fur does not get wet.
He settled off the coast of the tundra on the Arctic islands, even drifting ice becomes his home. Here he lives in winter. In summer, his path lies to the north, following the ice floes. But the mark of 88 N. rarely passes. There is no longer enough food here.
If you think these animals are clumsy, then in vain. They have so much good vision and rumor that he will see the prey several kilometers away. And thanks to his excellent sense of smell, he can smell a seal from 800 meters away.
Its main prey is seal and bearded seal. It can sneak up on prey in the water, crawling against the wind and pressing its head against the ice, and five meters away it overtakes the prey in two leaps and carries it onto the ice floe. Sometimes it can silently swim to a victim resting on the ice, and jump onto the ice at the very edge. Or it can patiently wait until the prey emerges from the hole to take a breath of air, at which moment it stuns it with a blow of its paw.
But not every hunt is successful. And the prey manages to escape even right from the clawed paws of the beast. And a bear has almost no chance of catching someone in the water.
He will eat the whole carcass only if he is very hungry. As a rule, he has enough skin and fat. He can bury the leftovers in the snow to come back and eat later. And he manages to do this if his reserves are not discovered earlier by arctic foxes and are not destroyed.
But he happens to go hungry for several days. And he changes his habitat. Moreover, it can swim for several days and reach speeds of more than 6 km/h. In times of hunger, a bear can even attack a person.
By the way, he is a fish lover. But it is not suitable for fishing. He manages to catch it only when salmon comes to spawn in shallow water. But no, it will start eating the carcasses that washed ashore. And then everything comes into play: pinnipeds, cetaceans, just dead fish.
If the male is large enough, he is able to attack a weakened relative, even a small bear cub, and eat it. A dead brother can also become food for him.
A female can bear up to 15 cubs throughout her life, giving birth every 2-3 years. Every fifth of them dies; the survivor will live a maximum of 30 years. Mother's milk remains the main food for cubs for almost a year and a half.
Polar bears are considered rare animals. In Russia it is even prohibited to hunt them; hunting is restricted in Canada, the States and Greenland. Residents of the Arctic can hunt the animal to get its skin and meat.

Ringed seal (seal)

This mammal is one of the most numerous in the Arctic. Singles leading a sedentary lifestyle. She manages to breathe and crawl out of the water through holes in the ice. The ice floe for the seal is a place where it can rest, give birth and sleep. She also digs a fairly spacious dwelling for herself in the snow and escapes there from the cold and bears. In the spring, the female gives birth to a calf and stays next to its mother for almost a month, feeding on her milk and molting.
IN summer months The seal sleeps a lot and doesn’t particularly want to move. But in case of any danger, it immediately disappears into the water. There he gets his food - he fishes, often at depth.

Sea hare (sealed bearded seal)

Its habitats are the same as those of the seal. Only now it is much less common. And he spends almost his entire life on the ice. Sleeps, rests, gives birth, moults in snow shelters. Loves shallow water and feeds on invertebrates from the seabed.
Walrus
The largest pinniped in the Arctic. The polar bear is too tough for him. The walrus has fangs with which it can always defend itself and give a worthy rebuff. Even the cub is practically impossible for the bear to reach. So they can often be seen side by side on the same ice floe, not showing any interest in each other.
Their main food is shellfish. That’s why walruses usually live near the shore. But for them the ice also becomes a place where their entire herds gather. Here they rest and give birth to their children.

Harp and hooded seals

Similar to each other. They live in herds. They differ in their seas of habitat. They feed on fish. They do not depend on the depth of the sea and can drift along with the ice floe. They give birth on ice. During this period, they are sometimes attacked by bears. And adults are practically unable to resist the almost massive killing of pups (small seals). Because the bear will kill them, even when it is full.

Narwhal

This large dolphin V arctic ice quite comfortable.

Reindeer

Among them there are domestic and wild animals. Their fur, brown in summer, turns gray in winter.

Muskox

This is an animal with ancient roots. Their ancestors saw mammoths. And they themselves more than once had to be prey for the first people.
He looks simply huge, but this is due to his long and very thick fur. It hangs almost to the ground. Large hooves serve them not only for ease of movement on rocks and snow, but also for searching for food. And they sense food even under the snow. They shed their horns every six years, both females and males. Bears, wolves, and wolverines will be wary of rushing to such defense.
These animals are quite fast and run at speeds of up to 30 km/h. But this happens more often in the summer. And winter is a time of sleep and rest. They are not afraid of frosts, but a snow cover of more than half a meter can be destructive for them.

Lemmings

These rodents love winter most of all. After all, it is at this time that a quiet life begins for them, when there is a warm nest of their grass stems and enough food. Live for yourself and multiply. In summer they have to beware of both animals and birds so as not to become prey.

Weasel

A real “thunderstorm” of mice and various small rodents. It settles in the Arctic regions and further south. An animal with excellent fur, but it is not classified as a commercial animal. Too small. It usually hunts at night. He jumps well and swims even better. If possible, he will also feast on bird eggs and even insects. It is easy to recognize by its smell, which is not the most pleasant.

Arctic foxes

The predator is incredibly resilient. It survives at -50? C, and finds salvation from frost in snow holes - real tunnels. It feeds mainly on lemmings. But he does not disdain dead carcasses, even relatives. They live in families, even two or three families together. They themselves are the object of hunting for wolves, owls, and wolverines. It is considered a game animal because of its magnificent fur.

polar Wolf

This predator lives exclusively on land. Can go without food for a week. Anything he comes across can become food for him.

Not on the planet colder regions than the Arctic deserts. Only the hardiest animals are able to survive in such harsh conditions.

Arctic desert animals on video

Arctic deserts are the coldest regions of the planet, in which only the hardiest animals adapted to these living conditions survive. Species diversity here is limited, for the reason that not all birds and mammals can survive in such a harsh climate.

Arctic desert animals

The icy Arctic deserts are predominantly inhabited by reindeer, polar bears, arctic foxes, with hares and lemmings. At the same time, there are various types birds, among which are:

Tundra partridges

White owls

Animals in the desert also live within the sea, only occasionally coming to the coast to continue their species. Among the inhabitants of these places, we can note walruses, seals, beluga whales and narwhals.

Adaptation of animals to harsh conditions

All these animals are adapted to life in such conditions due to their unique characteristics. Naturally, the key problem for this region is maintaining the thermal regime.

It is this task that animals must successfully cope with in order to survive in such a harsh climate; for example, a fat layer helps seals; for reindeer, polar bears and arctic foxes, their thick and warm fur is a lifesaver. At the same time, the feathered inhabitants are saved thanks to their loose plumage.

But not only the fur and fat layer, the animal world in the Arctic desert has perfectly adapted, and its salvation is largely due to the characteristic color acquired before the onset of the winter period.

But not everyone is ready to change their color depending on the season; for example, the polar bear stands out with its white fur throughout the year.

Thanks to the change in pigmentation, predators can hunt successfully, and for their victims this is a chance for salvation. All animals forced to live in this region are adapted to the harsh conditions here and have survived in these places for thousands of years.