Arctic Animals

Visiting the Arctic is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see some of the most incredible nature and wildlife on Earth. It’s home to several endemic species including polar bears, Arctic foxes, and narwhals. 

Here are the basics:

• The Arctic has far greater biodiversity than Antarctica due to its milder temperatures.
• 21,000 known species of animals, plants, fish, fungi and microbes live in the Arctic, all adapted to the cold.
• The Arctic is home to 67 species of land mammals and 35 species of marine mammals.
• The Arctic is a haven for birds, with over 280 known species in the region many of which migrate there during the summer.
• An estimated 22,000 – 31,000 polar bears live in the Arctic.

The best way to experience this incredible place and its wildlife is by taking an expedition cruise to some of the most remote and rugged destinations on Earth. 

At Polar Escapes we specialise in wildlife watching tours in the polar regions. Here you can search the largest range of expedition cruises and tours to the Arctic.

Here’s our ultimate guide to Arctic animals.

An overview of the Arctic Ecosystem 

Arctic animals live in a unique and fragile ecosystem that is under serious threat from the effects of climate change.  It’s characterised by long, freezing winter average lows of -40°F  and short, cold summers with average highs of 50°F and 24 hour daylight.

The Arctic Ocean supports the region’s ecosystem, and is also home to an abundance of marine life. It’s a complex system that includes Arctic Tundra regions, polar deserts, ice shelves, cliffs and pack ice.

The two best destinations for wildlife watching in The Arctic are Svalbard, an archipelago in the north of Norway that is located midway between the mainland and the North Pole and the Russian Arctic. Greenland and The Canadian High Arctic are also popular for polar expeditions for wildlife watching but encounters are less frequent.

Svalbard is particularly popular with wildlife enthusiasts who want to explore the Arctic wilderness. After the long, frozen winter ends, the sea ice that surrounds the archipelago opens up so that small cruise ships can travel to fjords and remote locations. The waters of Svalbard are home to 19 species of marine mammals, 12 whale species and over 200 species of birds including adult snowy owls.

Here is a list of Arctic animals you can see on an expedition cruise.

Polar bears

We have to begin with the apex predator and symbol of the Arctic itself, and the largest bear species in the world – the mighty polar bear.

Did you know the polar bear is the the largest land carnivore in the world?

Sadly, due to rapidly increasing threat from climate change, and the declining of sea ice floes, polar bears are a threatened species. 

Adult polar bears vary in length, but typically reach between 180-260cm in length. Males are larger (weighing around 300-700kg) and weigh twice the size of females. who weigh around 150-300km

Polar bears are incredibly well adapted to the Arctic’s harsh extremes. A thick coat with two layers of fur and a layer of body fat to guard against the coldest winter days where temperatures can drop as low as -50°c. Their clear fur allows them to blend into their icy surroundings.

Other adaptations include an acute sense of smell that allows them to sniff out pretty from as far as 20 miles away. 

They’re also excellent swimmers,  and they use their large paws as paddles, allowing them to swim up to 26 miles per hour. They are carnivorous and largely eat a diet of ringed  and bearded seals.

They’re generally solitary creatures, and spend much of their time on the sea ice, in fact they spend so much time away from land that they’re considered marine mammals hence the latin name Ursus Maritimus.

Top Tip – One of the best places to see polar bears in the wild is in Svalbard or on the Arctic tundra in Churchill in Canada.

To learn more please see our Facts about Polar Bears.

Mammals

Arctic fox

One of the Arctic’s endemic species, the Arctic fox is also known as the white fox, snow fox or the polar fox. There are actually eight sub species of Arctic fox and they can be found in some of the iciest, more hostile environments on Earth. Arctic foxes can withstand temperatures as low as -58 degrees Fahrenheit (-50°c).

Like polar bears, a warm coat of fur protects them from the coldest temperatures during the Arctic winter. The colour of their thick fur chances depending on the season, appearing white in the winter and in the summer they can appear light and dark grey, charcoal brown and bluish brown.

Arctic foxes were hunted to near extinction in Sweden, Finland and mainland Norway. But, they’re thriving in Svalbard and a trip to the archipelago offers a good opportunity to spot them in the wild. 

Food can be scarce and at times, Arctic foxes will follow Polar bears to scavenge for scraps. Their diet is a mix of small mammals such as voles and lemmings as well as seabirds, insects and even berries.

Like polar bears and other species living in the Arctic, climate change is having a serious impact on Arctic foxes. With more snow melting, the white fur is less of an advantage and climate change has led to red foxes moving further north so the Arctic fox is losing ground to this larger species. 

Reindeer

Reindeer (or caribou) is a species of deer that can be found in most Arctic regions. One of the best places to see them is Svalbard, which is home to its own endemic subspecies, the Svalbard Reindeer.

The Svalbard Reindeer is the smallest subspecies, with a small head, short neck and can be found all across the archipelago, and is one of the most commonly spotted mammal species there. 

In fact, they can even be spotted walking down the streets to Longyearbyen, the settlement where many expedition cruises set off from. Reindeer hooves act as snowshoes to help them travel over winter snow.

Reindeer are one of the longest living Arctic animals and fossils have been found that date back over 2 million years. 

They’re herbivores and live on a diet of green leaves, grass, mushrooms, mosses, ferns, shoots and lichen. During the winter, they have to dig through the snow to find food.

Musk Ox

Native to the Arctic, this large, horned land animal is stocky with long hair and takes its name from its musky odour and resemblance to ox. They’re part of the bovid subfamily, and are closely related to mountain goats and sheep. 

Musk Oxen travel in large herds of 20-30 individuals, and like reindeer are also herbivores, eating a diet of grass, mosses, woody plants and lichens.

Food can be scarce in the winter, but they’re highly adapted to the cold weather and can store large amounts of fat during the summer to make up for the slim pickings of the colder months.

East Greenland is home to a large population of Musk Oxen, with an estimated population of between 15,000 and 27,000

Arctic Hare

There are only two places in the world where you can find the Arctic hare. One is Greenland and the Canadian Arctic Islands, in harsh tundra environments.

Hares are larger than rabbits, and Arctic hares have bright, thick white fur  which provides warmth and camouflage. They’re also fast runners, and can reach speeds of 40 miles per hour. 

They feed mostly on woody plants, mosses and lichens and have to forage in the snow during the winter. Arctic Hares also dig shelters and huddle together to share warmth. 

Walrus

Walruses are the largest seal species of the Arctic, and the second largest in the world after the male Elephant seal. They’re very large, adult males can grow to 3-3.5 metres long and can weigh a whopping 1500kg.

Females are much smaller, growing to around 2.5 metres in length, and weighing around 900kg. Both males and females have large tusks which can grow up to a metre. 

Walruses generally appear brown in colour, but can also appear white and sometimes pink in different conditions. 

They can be found in the  Svalbard, Canadian Arctic, and Greenland. Svalbard is one of the best places in the world to see Walruses, and they can be spotted in its waters all year round. 

Seals

As well as Walruses, there are several species of Seals including ringed seals and bearded seals.

Bearded seal

Bearded seals, also known as square flipper seals are grey, medium sized earless seals with dull, brownish colouring and, as the name suggests, a distinctive beard. 

They can live to around 25 years in the wild, and have tougher skin than many seals. As well as their bearded appearance, they have their own song too, which can be heard up to 12 miles away.

Ringed seal

Another type of seal commonly found in the Arctic, ringed seals have the highest seal population in the world. Ringed seals are the smallest Arctic seal species, but are well adapted to their harsh environment with thick claws that allow them to dig breathing holes in the ice sheets. 

But they’re also a key prey for polar bears, who wait on the sheet who often hunt at these air holes.

Harp seal

Greenland and Svalbard is home to the harp seal, which have a distinctive saddle-shaped marking across their backs. 

They’re also commonly-spotted Arctic seals, although they can travel large distances of up to 5000 miles between mating grounds.

Harp seals spend much of their time at sea, and can spend 16 minutes underwater at a time. They eat a varied diet of around 67 species of fish including krill and crustaceans as well as invertebrates.

Whales

The Arctic is also home to several species of whales, and an expedition cruise offers an excellent opportunity to see them in the wild. 

There are actually 17 species of whales in the Arctic, but only belugas, bowheads and narwhals inhabit its waters all year round. 

Narwhal

Notable for the distinctive tush that protrudes from their heads, narwhals are also known as the unicorns of the sea. The tusk is a highly sensitive, enlarged tooth which can grow up to 10 feet. 

They’re found across the Arctic waters of Canada, Greenland, Norway and Russia, feeding on halibut, Arctic and polar cod, squid and shrimp. Although they’re easily spotted, they can be elusive creatures but can be found in Svalbard. 

Beluga Whale 

The beluga is a medium-sized toothed whale, also called white whales due to their colouring. Belugas are one of the smallest whale species,  males can grow to 4.5 metres in length and weigh 1500 kg, but females are much smaller.

Beluga whales are sociable, hunting, migrating and living in pods.They can often be spotted in groups in coastal areas, or sometimes in areas with dense pack ice. In summer they can often be found in front of glaciers where there is a good supply of food.

They are also incredibly vocal, communicating in clicks, chirps, whistles, and clangs, earning them the nickname “The canary of the sea”.

Blue Whale

The mighty blue whale is the largest animal ever known to have existed. It grows up to 30 metres in length, and weighs a massive 150 tonnes.

The blue whale’s colossal size is incredible considering it lives mostly on krill, which are tiny shrimp like creatures. At certain times of the year, an adult can consume four tonnes of krill in a single day! 

Sightings are more rare in the North Atlantic than in other oceans, but they do swim as far north as Svalbard and can be spotted around the island of Spitsbergen.

Bowhead Whale

One of the largest whale species, second only to the blue whale, bowhead whales also live longer than other mammals, living up to 200 years. Taking its name from its large, arched head, bowhead whales can grow to almost 20 meters in length.

Bowhead whales are one of the only whale species that live exclusively in Arctic and subarctic waters, and are very well adapted to icy conditions, with a 1.6ft thick layer of insulating blubber.

Humpback Whale 

Humpback whales spend their winters in tropical breeding areas, but migrate back to the chilly Arctic waters including Svalbard in summer, when there is plenty of fish and plankton to feast on. 

It measures up to 18 metres and weighs around 30-40 tonnes. The humpback whale is easy to spot with humps on its head and jaw, and humpback whales communicate through their distinctive song, which is mostly made underwater. 

Birds of the Arctic

The Arctic is a bird lover’s paradise. There are around 280 bird species in the Arctic, thanks to its diverse habitats and sanctuaries. 

Taking an Arctic cruise is a fantastic opportunity to see the region’s many birds.

Many bird species are migratory, and can’t endure the Arctic all year round. But some common bird species you might see include:

Atlantic puffin

One of the most distinctive and easy to spot birds is the Atlantic puffin, with a penguin-like appearance and curved, red and orange beak, earning nicknames including ‘sea parrot’.

Svalbard and Greenland offer excellent opportunities for spotting Atlantic puffins and their pufflings. Svalbard is the northernmost home of the Atlantic puffin, and they’re currently classified a vulnerable species.

But they’re not just notable for their appearance. Puffins are highly fliers and divers and can hold up to 30 fish in their beaks at once. 

They are skilled fliers and once in they can flap their wings up to an impressive 400 times a minute.  Atlantic puffin’s sturdy frame makes them well-equipped for diving, and their beaks allow them to hold up to 30 fish at a time.

Arctic Tern

Despite the name, Arctic terns are migratory and travel tens of thousands of miles to Antarctica each year.

But, during the summer, they can be commonly found in Svalbard, particularly in northern parts of Spitsbergen and are easily spotted by their black caps and red beaks.

They may be small, at just 35cm long but they’re extremely fierce, especially when it comes to protecting their colonies. Arctic terns have been known to dive-bomb intruders with their sharp beaks.

Guillemot

There are two types of guillemot in the Arctic, the common and Brünich’s. The two species are difficult to tell apart, as both have black heads and white bellies and often live in mixed colonies.

You’ll find both northern Iceland and parts of Spitsbergen (although common guillemots are a threatened species in the region). They can typically be found on sheer cliff faces or at sea. 

Northern fulmar 

Northern fulmars can be found in large numbers across the Arctic. They can fly up to 47km an hour and swoop down to the sea to catch fish and crustaceans.

Their name translates to ‘foul gull’ in Old Norse, due to the malodorous stomach oil they squirt to ward off predators or anything (or anyone) who veers to close their nests. 

For more information on the birds you might see on your expedition, read our guide to the top 30 birds you can see on an Arctic cruise. 

For a full list of the bird species of the Arctic from Snowy Owls to White Eagles please check out our guide to Arctic birds.

Invertebrates

The Arctic is home to large numbers of invertebrates too (around 5000 marine invertebrates). The dominant group is crustaceans such as crabs, lobsters and krill. But it’s also home to molluscs such as squid, octopus, snails and mussels. 

Invertebrates play an important role in the Arctic’s ecosystem, providing vital food, recycling nutrients and even cleaning up the water.

Conservation and Threats

The Arctic’s delicate ecosystem is under serious threat from climate change, which affected everything from food sources to breeding. 

Average temperatures in the Arctic have already risen at four times’ the global average. 

Rising temperatures and melting sea ice means a drastic loss of vital breeding grounds, particularly for many of the Arctic animals listed in this article, including, of course polar bears. 

But there are organisations dedicated to the protection of the Arctic and its wildlife and marine life such as the WWF Arctic Programme.

This  brings together expertise from scientists, oceanographers and conservationists to study the effects of climate change on the Arctic and creates frameworks for conservation across this vital region. 

Other efforts include protecting habitats, reducing pollution and promoting sustainable hunting practices. 

Thanks for reading our guide on Arctic animals. If you would like to know more about visiting the Arctic please see our Arctic Cruises for more information.