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What Animals Can You Find in the Tundra?

The tundra is a biome that, on land, encompasses a belt around the world stretching from the Arctic Circle south to the taiga, a region of coniferous forest. Tundra areas also exist in the Southern Hemisphere, but the land can only be found on islands close to the Antarctic and on the Antarctic Peninsula. Most tundra is classified as "low Arctic," a biome characterized by rainfall between 6 to 10 inches annually and an average temperature of -28 degrees Celsius. Soil quality is poor, but shrubs, grasses and sedges can grow. These provide food for herbivores, which in turn support carnivorous mammals and birds.

Caribou
- North American caribou are descendants of European reindeer.
  
  During summer, abundant shrubs, grasses and sedges provide food for a variety of herbivores. These include the caribou, a large species of deer. Caribou -- which live in North America and the Eurasian tundra -- can swim, and their hooves' shape allows them to efficiently traverse snow or wet marsh. Their diet is primarily sedges, grasses and flowering plants. Male adults can weigh up to 700 pounds, with females averaging 200 pounds.
Musk Ox
- Another large tundra herbivore is the musk ox, which inhabits North America, Scandinavia and Siberia. Well insulated with a shaggy coat against the cold, musk oxen comprise a herd of 10 during summer and feed voraciously on tundra vegetation. They can range in weight between 400 and 800 pounds. Food scarcity during winter forces musk oxen into areas where strong winds blow away snow to expose nubs of plants, grasses and lichen.
Lemmings
- Lemmings are an important source of protein for predators farther up the tundra food chain including predatory birds and mammals. Small and mouse-like, lemmings exist exclusively in the Northern Hemisphere. Any plant, including shrubs and mosses, are sources of food for lemmings. Their coat's color will be either brown or white, depending on the season. Constant predation in the tundra rigorously controls lemming numbers, unlike their counterparts in non-tundra areas, where populations can spiral out of control.
Arctic Fox
- The Arctic fox lives within the subarctic tundra belt encircling the Northern Hemisphere, as well as within the Arctic Circle itself. This small but hardy animal has a thick, furry pelt and a squat shape that minimizes heat loss. Its size is 10 to 16 inches in length and it weighs 6 to 12 pounds. The Arctic fox is an omnivore whose diet comprises small mammals like lemmings and voles, or bird eggs and plants. It is equally adept at scavenging, consuming other predators' leftovers. The Arctic fox is prey for larger animals like wolves and survives by stealth and evasion.
Tundra Wolf
- Tundra wolves live in the tundra belt stretching across Northern Finland and Eurasia. They can grow up to 7 feet in length, and weigh up to 125 pounds. Their thick coats allow them to survive in the tundra climate. The tundra wolf's diet comprises mainly large mammals including caribou and musk ox. They also prey on smaller animals like the Arctic fox. Tundra wolves move in packs and breed from late March to April.

Animals & Science