Arctic fox walks 2,700 miles from Norway to Canada in four months
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — An arctic fox walked more than 4,415 kilometers (2,737 miles) to go from northern Norway to Canada’s far north in four months, Norwegian researchers said.
The Norwegian Polar Institute reported the young female fox left her birth place on Norway’s Svalbard archipelago on March 1, 2018 and reached Canada’s Ellesmere Island by way of Greenland on July 1, 2018.
The ground the small fox cumulatively covered over those four months was among the most ever recorded for an arctic fox seeking a place to settle down and breed, the institute said in a research article subtitled “One female’s long run across sea ice.”
Institute scientists monitored the fox’s movements with a satellite tracking device they fitted her with in July 2017 near her native habitat by a glacier on Norway’s Spitsbergen island. She stayed close to home then gradually ventured out until she left the island on March 26, 2018.
During the walk to Canada, the roughly 2-year-old fox moved at an average rate of 46.3 kilometers per day (28.7 miles per day), the Norwegian scientists said.
“The short span of time spent covering such a distance highlights the exceptional movement capacity of this small-sized carnivore species,” they said.
The distance between the fox’s natal den and where she settled on Ellesmere Island was 1,789 kilometers (1,109 miles) if traveled in a straight line, according to the institute.
The sea ice allows Norway’s arctic foxes to reach Greenland and then North America, though it’s not known why they leave their birth places in search of places to breed, the researchers said.
The animals, which have thick fur to survive cold environments and live to about age four, subsist on fish, marine birds and lemmings.
(March 21-April 19) A lot seems to come up out of the blue. You might need to make time to visit with an older person or even go into work. Confirm messages and any requests. An element of confusion runs through your day. Do not try to do anything right now on your own initiative.
(April 20-May 20) Others might surprise you with their news. You might be unusually creative about a problem. You seem to resolve a long-term issue with a snap of your fingers. Do not worry about others. Just charge into your week.
(May 21-June 20) You might find that getting plans off the ground is difficult. Perhaps the issue might be that you’re uncomfortable when you’re out. You find that you’re happiest at home. Invite others over. Double- and triple-check details, from meeting times to locations.
(June 21-July 22) Make calls; reach out to a sibling or close friend. You might want to have a lengthy brunch together in order to not only catch up on news, but also plan another fun get-together. And you thought you were moody?
(July 23-Aug. 22) Be aware of the consequences of dealing with a financial matter. Do so without