All foxes are renowned for their cunning and the arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) is no exception. In this harsh environment with scarce prey, it will follow the polar bear's footprints in the snow in the hope of scavenging from a seal carcass. If unsuccessful it will use its keen senses of sight and smell to hunt for smaller mammals, eggs or berries. Occasionally it will sniff out a newly born seal pup and dig down to its lair.

The thick fur of the arctic fox traps air and provides excellent insulation, allowing it to doze unharmed in the snow for an hour or so at temperatures as low as -50 degrees C. Even the undersides of its paws are covered with fur and when scarce winds blow relentlessly across the barren landscape, the arctic fox uses its furry paws to dig a den several feet deep in the snow.