ZooLab's Top 10 Animals from the North Pole

There’s a lot of chatter at this time of year about Santa and his journey around the Earth delivering presents. Rightly so! However, we thought we’d take some time to talk about the incredible animals that live around his home – the North Pole! So, read on and get in the festive spirit!

ZooLab's Top 10 Animals from the North Pole

Polar bear

These bears are some of the largest land predators in the world! Their white fur helps them to blend into the snowy landscape of the North Pole, but the skin underneath is actually black! This allows them to absorb as much heat from the sun as possible. They’re also excellent hunters, able to smell their prey from up to 20 miles away and under 3 feet of snow!

Arctic fox

Arctic foxes have some pretty unique adaptations to live in the Arctic Circle! They are among the few canids to grow fur on their toe pads to keep their feet warm when travelling across snow and ice. They also have a thick, fluffy coat that can change colour depending on the season and the amount of snow around them!

Reindeer

Reindeer are the only deer species in which both males and females have antlers. They migrate across the North Pole, grazing on the lichen that grows on the ground under layers of snow. Rising temperatures mean that lichen levels are reducing, and thus reindeer have less food to graze on in a smaller area.

FUN FACT: Canada’s postal code for the North Pole is H0H 0H0!

Ringed seal

These seals are some of the most common in the Arctic Circle. They have some amazing adaptations to survive harsh winters in this part of the world. They have incredibly sharp claws, which they use to dig up to 6 feet under the ice, mostly to create breathing holes while they’re underwater. They usually prefer to live alone, but it’s not uncommon to see larger groups of them during moulting season.

Narwhal

Narwhals are sometimes called the ‘unicorns of the sea’ thanks to the long horn that comes out of their forehead. This ‘horn’, however, is actually a long canine tooth! They use this to signify dominance and to help sense the world around them, thanks to the millions of nerve endings found on it. It can give them information about the temperature and pressure of the water around them, as well as any particles present. The horn also works as a way to attract mates.

Orca

Orcas, also known as killer whales, are actually the world’s largest dolphins. They hunt in pods of up to 40 orcas, and each pod has distinctive calls. These animals are at the top of the food chain and have a very diverse diet, eating fish, seals, jellyfish, and even seabirds. The pods are excellent team players and use expert hunting techniques to catch their prey.

Red knot

These birds are migratory wading birds, spending some of their time in estuaries across the UK. They feed off insects that live on the arctic snow, but due to rising temperatures, the insects are hatching faster and aren’t at peak levels by the time the birds migrate to the Arctic.

FUN FACT: Temperatures as low as -70°C have been recorded in the Arctic Circle.

Lemming

Lemmings have a bit of a bad reputation in popular culture. They are boom-and-bust animals, meaning their populations rapidly increase and then decline. During peak times, resources are spread thin, and many migrate in large groups to seek new pastures. They quite often fall off cliffs during their migration, and this has led to the myth that they commit mass suicide as a way to stem population growth. This is indeed false; they’re just a little clumsy!

Arctic Fritillary Butterfly

This delicate butterfly is found all over the Arctic Circle and even in parts of the USA. It loves cold habitats like tundra, taiga, and alpine meadows. Males patrol the edges of boggy areas, waiting for their mate to arrive. After breeding, their eggs are left under the leaves of a singular hot plant, ready to hatch.

Snowy Owl

Soaring high above the snowy arctic landscape, these owls spend their days hunting lemmings and other small mammals. Snowy owls go against stereotype, choosing to hunt in the day rather than the night, especially in the summer. They can eat as many as 1600 lemmings a year!

These animals all have amazing adaptations to live in the Arctic. Want to find out more? Check out our Adaptations workshop!