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Arctic Fox

Vulpes lagopus

Mammal · family Canidae · order Carnivora

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Arctic Fox
Photo: Jonatan Pie ( unsplash.com/@r3dmax ), CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
1 state[3]
Longest recorded life
16.3 years[4]

The Arctic Fox is a mammal in the dog family, Canidae[5]. NatureServe ranks it Secure worldwide, and in the US it is native to Alaska[2][3].

Conservation status

NatureServe gives the Arctic Fox a global rank of G5, which means Secure[2]. Its national rank for the United States is N5, also Secure[6]. NatureServe also gives it a state conservation rank in Alaska[7]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[8]. The Arctic Fox is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
NatureServe US rank[6] N5 (Secure)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[8] Least concern

Where Arctic Fox lives

NatureServe lists the Arctic Fox as native in 1 US state or territory, which is Alaska[3]. Online observation records also come from California, New Mexico, Washington and Wisconsin[9]. These records follow where people look and report, so they do not show where the animal lives or how many there are[9].

Alaska: native, state rank S5AKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: not recordedORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: not recordedSCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: not recordedTXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[7].
Show state ranks (1 states)
StateRankMeaning
AlaskaS5Secure

Habitat

NatureServe records tundra and ice as the habitat types for the Arctic Fox[10]. It lives on tundra, usually close to the shore, and in winter it can travel far out over sea ice[11]. When resting, it uses an underground den in a bank or hillside, or it may dig into a snowbank in winter[11]. Young are born in these underground dens[11].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[10]

Size, diet and lifespan

The Arctic Fox is about 91 cm (36 in) long and weighs about 4 kg (9 lb) as a typical adult[12][13]. It eats many kinds of food, including lemmings, voles, ground squirrels, birds, eggs and berries, and it may also eat leftovers from other animals[14]. One estimate puts its diet at 70% warm-blooded vertebrates, 10% invertebrates, 10% fish and 10% carrion[15]. A typical litter is 9 young after a pregnancy of 52 days[16][17]. The longest recorded lifespan, in captivity, is a record and not a typical lifespan[4].

Trait Value
Typical length[12] 91 cm (36 in)
Typical adult weight[13] 4 kg (9 lb)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[4] 16.3 years (captivity)
Litter or clutch size[16] 9
Gestation or incubation[17] 52 days
Female maturity[18] 304 days (about 0.8 years)
Food habits[19] Carnivore, Piscivore, Frugivore
Active[20] diurnal
Migration[21] local migrant

Estimated diet composition (EltonTraits 1.0)[15]

  • 70% warm-blooded vertebrates
  • 10% invertebrates
  • 10% fish
  • 10% carrion

When to look for it

The Arctic Fox is mainly active in the daytime[20]. In Alaska it moves toward the sea in fall and early winter and returns inland in late winter and early spring[22]. Pups are born from April to June and tended by both parents until mid-August[23]. Online records by month are highest in December, March and May, though these counts reflect when people look and report[24].

January: 271 recordsJanFebruary: 283 recordsFebMarch: 432 recordsMarApril: 212 recordsAprMay: 450 recordsMayJune: 326 recordsJunJuly: 233 recordsJulAugust: 165 recordsAugSeptember: 62 recordsSepOctober: 71 recordsOctNovember: 223 recordsNovDecember: 2,410 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[24].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January271
February283
March432
April212
May450
June326
July233
August165
September62
October71
November223
December2,410

Where to see it

States with the most GBIF observation records: Alaska, California, New Mexico, Washington, Wisconsin[9]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Safety around this animal

These tips are quoted in summary from official agencies. We add no advice of our own. Follow local rules and the agency pages linked below.

From Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

  • In the United States, the animals most often found with rabies are bats, skunks, raccoons and foxes.
  • Rabies spreads mainly through bites and scratches. It is fatal once symptoms start but preventable with prompt care.
  • Contact with bats is the leading cause of human rabies deaths in the United States.
  • After a bite or scratch, wash it right away with soap and water and get medical care urgently. Keep wildlife wild by staying away.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention[25]

Questions people ask

Is the Arctic Fox endangered?
No. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it G5, Secure, worldwide[2].
Where does the Arctic Fox live in the US?
NatureServe lists it as native only in Alaska[3]. It lives on tundra, usually near the shore[11].
What does the Arctic Fox eat?
It eats lemmings, voles, ground squirrels, birds, eggs, berries and carrion[14]. One estimate is 70% warm-blooded vertebrates[15].
How big is an Arctic Fox?
A typical adult is about 91 cm (36 in) long and weighs about 4 kg (9 lb)[12][13].
How long does an Arctic Fox live?
The longest recorded lifespan is a record from captivity, not a typical lifespan[4].

Facts and sources

  1. Arctic Fox is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Arctic Fox: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Arctic Fox as native in 1 US state or territory: Alaska. NatureServe Explorer
  4. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 16.3 years in captivity. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  5. Arctic Fox (Vulpes lagopus) is a mammal in the family Canidae, order Carnivora. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  7. NatureServe state ranks for Arctic Fox (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  8. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  9. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Arctic Fox: Alaska, California, New Mexico, Washington, Wisconsin. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  10. Habitat types NatureServe records for Arctic Fox: Tundra, Ice. NatureServe Explorer
  11. NatureServe notes on habitat for Arctic Fox. NatureServe Explorer
  12. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 91 cm (36 in). NatureServe Explorer
  13. Typical adult weight recorded by NatureServe: 4 kg (9 lb). NatureServe Explorer
  14. NatureServe notes on food for Arctic Fox. NatureServe Explorer
  15. Estimated diet composition in EltonTraits 1.0: 70% warm-blooded vertebrates, 10% invertebrates, 10% fish, 10% carrion. EltonTraits 1.0
  16. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 9. AnAge
  17. Gestation or incubation period in AnAge: 52 days. AnAge
  18. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 304 days (about 0.8 years). AnAge
  19. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Carnivore, Piscivore, Frugivore. NatureServe Explorer
  20. Activity time in EltonTraits 1.0: diurnal. EltonTraits 1.0
  21. NatureServe migration category for Arctic Fox: local migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  22. NatureServe notes on migration for Arctic Fox. NatureServe Explorer
  23. NatureServe notes on reproduction for Arctic Fox. NatureServe Explorer
  24. GBIF observation records of Arctic Fox in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  25. Safety guidance from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.

Photo: Jonatan Pie ( unsplash.com/@r3dmax ), CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.