Threats to Arctic Fox

Arctic foxes, unlike their red fox neighbors, are specialists, meaning they are confined to particular region with an environment that conforms to their particular need.  Red foxes are generalists and are much more distributed across the globe.  They are also a superior competitor to arctic foxes.

Due to warming in the arctics, red foxes and been slowly extending their range further north.  While there used to be no interaction between arctic and red foxes, the two are now competing for resources in the southern parts of the arctic.  The competition affects arctic foxes most significantly in finding food and finding shelter for their young.  The increased predation of the foxes primary source of food has led to it becoming much less abundant.  This prevents arctic foxes from storing the excess food that they'd normally have when other food is scarce during the winter.  Reports have also been made about red foxes attacking arctic foxes and chasing them out of their dens.

So how does this effect future arctic fox generations?  Studies have shown there is a direct correlation between the amount of offspring a fox will produce in a litter and the amount of food present.  Because competition for food is increasing, we can expect a decline in population growth of arctic foxes.  The decline will be increased due to competition for locations to raise their young.  Arctic foxes will continue to be forced out of their dens by red foxes as the earth warms and the foxes move further north.  Arctic foxes that are forced out of their dens will either not breed or their young will perish from the cold. The Arctic foxes are slowly losing their habitat, and their population growth will suffer because of it.