There are living things for which low temperatures or snow are no problem. Indeed, they are part of their lives and, thanks to millennial evolutionary processes, possess physical qualities and a resistance such as to feel comfortable where other animals would die. In the following article we will tell you all about the animals that resist extreme cold. Let's see what they are and how they do it.
What are the animals that adapt to extreme cold?
They can live in the Arctic region or the South Pole, since their skin, their size or the amount of stored fat, allow them to better withstand the extreme conditions. Although it seems that these inhospitable sites are not suitable for life, in reality it is here that it is possible to find some of the most beautiful and interesting animal species:
1. Polar bear
It is the only species of bear with completely white colored fur, perfect for camouflaging in the area where it lives. It is also the only one that feeds on 100% meat (especially that of seals). He developed the legs to be able to walk or swim resisting for long distances. Both the ears and the tail are small, to avoid losing body heat. Furthermore, it has a thick coat and a large layer of fat throughout the body. Even if they do not hibernate, pregnant females prefer to rest in a cave or other shelter during the winter.
2. Arctic fox
Also known as the polar fox, it is distributed between the tundras of North America and Eurasia. It has small ears and a large layer of white hair to survive temperatures down to -50 ° C. As some may already know, when summer comes it changes color and shows a big hairy tail. It can weigh up to 9 kg and remains active throughout the year (it does not hibernate, but migrates to less cold places). Its main food is birds and small mammals.
3. Seal
Of all the species of seals, there are only a few that live in cold climates. One of the most important is the harp seal or harp seal. Its habitat coincides with the oceans of the North Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean. The adults have a silver-gray coat, with a black face and a dark spot on the back. The juveniles have a white yellowish fur. They spend little time on land and live in colonies.
4. Arctic hare
Also known as the polar hare is another animal adapted to extreme cold. It lives in countries with the lowest temperatures in the world: Greenland, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland and Denmark. Even if its fur is white in winter, when summer comes, or it migrates to more pleasant places, it changes color to an icy blue tone. Eat buds, leaves and berries.5. Whales
5. Whales
Many of the whale species spend a great deal of time swimming in the coldest parts of the planet. One is the Arctic whale (or Greenland whale). It has a robust body, a large dorsal fin and can be up to 18 meters long. Its weight can even exceed 100 tons. Its population has decreased significantly due to hunting. They spend their whole lives in the Arctic waters and their migrations are short. They swim with their open mouths to filter the krill beds with their teeth and thus be able to feed themselves.
6. Penguin
This non-flying sea bird that lives in the southern hemisphere is another animal adapted to extreme cold. It swims thanks to its two side fins that generate a surprising speed, underwater. Clumsy on land, these animals are very skilled swimmers. Their legs are positioned far back on the body precisely to ensure greater aerodynamic set-up and limit water resistance. Keep in mind that they can reach 60 km / h when they try to catch a prey. They can maintain a good part of their body heat thanks to their three-layer plumage, their thick layer of fat and their channeled blood vessels.
7. Walrus
Here is another wonderful marine mammal that lives in the Arctic region. Currently there are three species: one in the Atlantic, another in the Pacific and a third in the Laptev Sea (Siberia). The second of those just mentioned is the largest, but they all have a large layer of skin to avoid losing heat. Males change their coat in summer, which becomes a different color based on temperature and environment. If they are in the water, the skin becomes whitish or pink. They eat shellfish, fish and any small animal they can fish.
8. Reindeer
We close our special review, this time dedicated to the animals that resist extreme cold, with the reindeer. This animal, known in North America as a caribou, lives in the northern hemisphere, more precisely in Canada, Alaska, Russia and also in Greenland. They are animals that belong to the cervid family and are domesticated in Finland, Sweden and Norway. An adult reindeer can weigh up to 300 kg. Males live separate from the herd and migrate in groups. Thanks to their large hooves, they can walk in the snow without sinking.