Arctic Animals: List of Arctic Animals with Interesting Facts & Pictures
Arctic animals refer to the diverse array of creatures inhabiting the regions near the North Pole. This area is characterized by its northern latitudes and encompasses various terrestrial and maritime ecosystems. Consequently, a multitude of arctic animals have adapted to thrive in this unique environment. This article aims to provide a comprehensive list of these animals, along with captivating insights into the most common ones, shedding light on their intriguing characteristics.
List of Arctic Animals
Terrestrial Mammals
- Polar Bear
- Brown Bear
- Grizzly Bear
- Kodiak Bear
- Moose
- Reindeer
- Muskox
- Arctic Fox
- Arctic Ground Squirrel
- Arctic Lemming
- Arctic Hare
- Arctic Shrew
- Arctic Wolf
- Taiga Vole
- Tundra Vole
- Singing Vole
- Red Fox
- Muskrat
- Sable
- Stoat
- Brown Lemming
- Wolverine
- Gray Wolf
Maritime Mammals
- Blue Whale
- Bowhead Whale
- Sei Whale
- Fin Whale
- Humpback Whale
- Common Minke Whale
- Northern Bottlenose Whale
- Sperm Whale
- Gray Whale
- Beluga Whale
- Narwhal
- Killer Whale
- Harbor Porpoise
- Cumberland Sound Beluga
- Long-Finned Pilot Whale
- Atlantic White-Sided Dolphin
- White-Beaked Dolphin
- Harp Seal
- Ringed Seal
- Hooded Seal
- Ribbon Seal
- Bearded Seal
- Spotted Seal
- Gray Seal
- Walrus
- Northern Elephant Seal
Birds
- Arctic Tern
- King Eider
- Iceland Gull
- Ivory Gull
- Long-tailed Jaeger
- Pomarine Jaeger
- Parasitic Jaeger
- Brant
- Crested Auklet
- Least Auklet
- Little Auk
- Atlantic Puffin
- Snowy Owl
- Arctic Warbler
- Snow Goose
- Ruddy Turnstone
Fish
- Arctic Flounder
- Arctic Char
- Greenland Cod
- Greenland Halibut
- Bering Flounder
- Viviparous Eelpout
- Pacific Herring
- Atlantic Salmon
- Nelma
- Capelin
- Twohorn Sculpin
- Pink Salmon
- Pacific Sleeper Shark
- Liparis montagui
- Liparis fabricii
- Invertebrates
- Arctic Wolf Spider
- Bees
- Wasps
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Mosquitoes
- Flies
- Ice Worms
Arctic Animals | Facts & Pictures
Polar Bear
The Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) holds the distinction of being the most massive land-dwelling carnivore, with males weighing in excess of 1,700 pounds.
Blue Whale
The Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is widely regarded as the largest creature to have graced the planet, with the capability of growing up to 98 feet in length and weighing a staggering 219 tons.
Grizzly Bear
The Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis), a North American subspecies of the Brown Bear, boasts a population of approximately 30,000 in the state of Alaska alone. These formidable bears are known to have a diverse diet, ranging from bass, salmon, and trout to larger prey such as moose, elk, and reindeer.
Arctic Wolf
The Arctic Wolf (Canis lupus arctos), classified as a subspecies of the Gray Wolf, thrives in the northern regions of North America and Greenland. Its diet primarily comprises muskox, reindeer, and Arctic Hares.
Reindeer
The Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), also known as Caribou, is a large deer species that can grow up to 3.9 feet in height at the shoulder and weigh as much as 550 pounds.
Walrus
The Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) is a substantial marine mammal that can weigh more than 4,400 pounds. Known for their prominent tusks, used for both combat and hauling themselves onto ice, they thrive in their icy habitats.
Muskox
The Muskox (Ovibus moschatus) is a sizable bovine that can reach a height of five feet at the shoulder and weigh up to 800 pounds. These herbivores reside in Greenland, Alaska, Canada, and Siberia, sustaining themselves on grass and woody plants.
Wolverine
The Wolverine (Gulo gulo), a robust member of the Mustelidae family, can weigh up to 70 pounds. Known for its remarkable speed of 30 miles per hour, this animal fearlessly confronts prey many times its size, such as moose and caribou.
Narwhal
The Narwhal (Monodon monoceros), a significant marine mammal, can weigh up to 4,200 pounds and reach lengths of up to 17 feet. Notably, the Narwhal possesses an elongated tusk, sometimes two, in males, which can extend up to 10 feet in length.
Arctic Char
The Arctic Char (Salvelinus alpinus) is a freshwater fish commonly found in Alaska, capable of reaching weights of up to 10 pounds. Its diet primarily consists of other fish, insects, and zooplankton.
Atlantic Puffin
The Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica), a seabird native to the Northern Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, is recognized for its distinctive black-and-white plumage, as well as its vibrant, colorful beak. It exhibits unique hunting behaviors, often swimming after schools of small fish.
