I'm dedicating this book to my family. 

Please enjoy! I hope you learn something.

Table of Contents  2  

Introduction 4

Arctic Foxes 6

Belugas 8 

Narwhals 10    

Penguins 12  

Polar Bears 14    

Snowy Owls 16

Walruses 18

Glossary 20

About the Author 22

Have you ever wondered how polar animals survive the freezing cold weather? How do they get food and stay warm? Polar animals live near the North and South Poles where the temperatures are super cold. Somehow, they can survive the coldest places on Earth, how do they do it? Read this book to find out!

Arctic foxes are beautiful animals that live on the tundra. They sure are one tough animal because they can somehow find enough food to survive and not freeze. But how do they do it? Keep reading to find out.                                                 

Figure 2: A camouflaged arctic fox.

Adaptations  

An arctic fox changes color depending on the 

season. In winter, its coat is white to match the snow but in summer it turns brown to match the dirt. Using fur patterns to match your surroundings is called camouflage.

Food

Arctic foxes hunt down snowshoe hare and arctic hare. But they will also follow polar bears and eat their scraps. When a polar bear is done eating, the arctic fox seizes the moment and eats the leftovers.

The Journey of an Arctic Fox

Every fall, the arctic fox makes an amazing journey across the tundra toward the sea. Icebergs, tons of snow, and ice are just some of the things the arctic fox will see on its journey. In about six months the arctic fox will have traveled over 2,000 miles with no help and still make it back to the tundra alive!!!

Life Cycle

Arctic fox pups come out of their den when they are 3 to 4 weeks old, and can live on their own at 9 weeks of age. Both the mother and father help care for the young. They have a life span of 3 to 6 years. 

Belugas are white whales that live in the Arctic Ocean. They can make clicks and whistles that can be heard through boat hulls and aquarium walls! That’s why they are sometimes called sea canaries. 

What’s on the Menu?

Belugas catch worms, fish, mollusks, squid, and shellfish. Both belugas and narwhals use echolocation to hunt in murky waters. They send out a sound wave and once it bounces back the beluga knows what’s in front of them.

Beluga Rescue  

Did you know belugas are heroes? If you think 

I‘m crazy, well I'm not. In 2009 a beluga named 

Mila was in an aquarium tank in Harbin northeast 

                                                                                                                           Figure 3 Mila rescuing a diver. 

China with some divers, when suddenly a diver got cramps in her legs and started to sink! But then Mila grabbed her leg and pushed her to safety!!!  

Beluga Migration?

Did you know belugas migrate? In the winter months belugas move south so they don’t get caught under the ice but migrate back north when the ice starts to melt in spring. Belugas may also move to fresh water in spring and summer.

Adaptations

Belugas have a thick layer of blubber that 

keeps them warm in cold waters. As belugas

get older their skin gets whiter which makes 

them harder to see in the ocean. The word 

beluga actually comes from the Russian word meaning white.                                                                                                                Figure 4: Diagram of a beluga.

Diet

Narwhals eat arctic cod, polar cod, shrimp, and squid. Recent research shows that narwhals use their tusk to hit cod and then gobble them up! Now that's a cool way to use their tusk. Narwhals use echolocation to help them catch their food, and once they find food they suck it up!

Adaptation

Narwhals have a thick layer of blubber that keeps them warm in the icy cold water. Narwhal skin color may have something to do with camouflage too. 

Narwhal Migration

Did you know that narwhals migrate? During the summer, narwhals stay near the coast, but when it gets cold the water freezes over so narwhals migrate from shallow water to deeper water. They travel in groups called pods. Pods can range from a few narwhals to hundreds!! 

The Legendary Tusk

The narwhals legendary horn is actually a veeeerrrrrrryyyyyyyyy long tooth growing out of its forehead. This tooth is called a tusk. Scientists think that the males fight with their tusks.

Penguins are flightless birds that live on and around Antarctica. There are 18 species of penguins and 12 million penguins on Antarctica!!!!

Home Sweet Home

Penguins live in Antarctica and sub antarctic islands. Penguins primarily live in the southern hemisphere, the lone exception being a couple of colonies of galapagos penguins living on the tip of Isabela in the northern hemisphere.

Wings for Swimming 

Penguins have wings but they don't fly, they swim. Penguins swim to catch fish to eat. They have no land predators but the ocean is a dangerous place. Leopard seals and orcas want to eat penguins so the penguins have to know how to swim fast to escape.

Adaptations

Penguins have a llllllooooooooooooooooooooootttttttttttttttttttttt of feathers to keep them warm. Fathers lean on their heels where their eggs are to keep the eggs from touching the ice. Once adults, penguins have waterproof feathers to keep them warm when they are swimming in the icy cold water. Male penguins have a flap to cover the eggs so they don't get cold.

Life Cycle

Because penguins are birds, they 

start as eggs and hatch in a nest, 

then they turn into chicks, and 

finally they become adult penguins.

Depending on their species, penguins 

have different lifespans ranging 

from 6 to 30 years.