Burrows, usually in the side of a hill or cliff, provide shelter, but arctic foxes do not hibernate and can withstand temperatures as low as -50 degrees C (-58 degrees F). A litter of 4 to 11 young is born in May or June after a gestation of 51 to 57 days. They are cared for by both parents

Description - This large, white owl has a rounded head and yellow eyes. Both sexes have dark bars and spots although they are heavier on the larger female; old males may be pure white. This usually silent bird will sometimes utter a shrill whistle and hoarse croak on breeding grounds.

Distribution - The snowy owl breeds in northern Alaska and in northernmost Canada; winters are spent throughout Canada and in northern United States. They prefer open country such as tundra, dunes, marshes, fields, plains and airports in the winter.

The Arctic hare (Lepus arcticus) is a social animal that lives in the frigid tundra of North America, Newfoundland, and Greenland. These hares often congregate in groups of up to 200 individuals. They hop at great speeds on their large, powerful hind legs, in a kangaroo-like fashion. The female is called a doe, the male is called a buck, and the baby hare is called a leveret. The young are born open-eyed and furry. Most hares live for about a year in the wild.

Predators: This mammal is hunted by wolves and people. The young are preyed upon by Arctic foxes, gyrfalcons, snowy owls, and ermine (short-tailed weasels).

Polar Bears are large, meat-eating bears who are well-adapted for life in their frozen Arctic environment. They are powerful swimmers who hunt seals in the water. Polar bears can run in bursts up to 25 mph.

Polar Bears are up to 10 feet long and weigh about 1,700 pounds; males are bigger than females. Polar bears have a small head, powerful jaws, and a black nose and tongue. They have a strong sense of smell. They have 42 teeth; the tail is small and flat. They have wide front paws with slightly webbed toes that help them swim. These bears paddle with their front feet and steer with the hind feet.

Fur and Skin: Polar Bears have two types of fur. They have thick, woolly fur close to the skin that keeps them warm. They also have hollow guard hairs that stick up and protect the bears from getting wet. These guard hairs are like drinking straws and are clear-colored (not white). The white-looking coat camouflages them well in the snow and ice. Under the fur, Polar Bears have black skin. They also have a thick layer of fat (up to 4 inches thick) under the skin that helps keep them warm.

Puffins are sea birds that can fly, swim, and dig burrows. These squat birds live on cold, Arctic coasts.

Puffins have thick, waterproof feathers that protect them from the cold. They have webbed feet that help them swim. Their huge, parrot-like bill stores fish as they hunt underwater. It is wide in profile and narrow when viewed from the front. In breeding season, the bill becomes brightly colored.

Puffins are carnivores (meat-eaters) that dive in the sea for food. They eat mostly small fish.