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Arctic WildlifeFred J. KaneLatest ArticlesSwanson’s Thrush is a song bird with pink legs, a thin beak and stands about 6 ½ inches tall. Its back is olive drab in color and has dark spots on its white chest. Dall’s sheep are excellent examples of the fact that animals adjust and live well even in the harshest environments. They live both below the Arctic and in the Arctic Regions. Because they inhabit the distant, steep slopes the Dall’s sheep are healthy and don't get diseases from domestic livestock. The Snow Bunting, a sparrow sized bird stands about six inches tall and has a short cone shaped black beak. The male Snow Bunting has large white patches on its wings It head and belly are ivory and its back, wings and tail are black. The fur of both the male and female is cinnamon. The male Stellers develop dense and thick neck long rough hair. This makes the animal look as if it has a mane like the African Lion, hence the name, “Sea Lion.” Mountain avens, a ground hugging, sun loving shrub, a member of rose family that flourishes on high and rocky grounds in Central & Eastern Arctic.
The only time man gets to observe these different animals is when they migrate. The Arctic Tern is a small bird that makes the longest migration of any bird. This excellent flier spends most of its life flying. The Arctic Tern as an adult stands about 12 to 15 inches tall, weighs about ten ounces and has a wingspan of almost three feet. Arctic Grayling is related to trout and whitefish and attains an average length of 12-15 inches as an adult. Some graylings grow to 30 inches long. Most fish taken by anglers are in the three pound class. The Collared Pika, about the same size as a tennis ball is about seven inches long. The Back of the Collared Pika is brown with gray coloring on its sides. It shows a light gray collaring on its neck and shoulders. This makes it look like it has a collar, hence ... One of the mammals of the Arctic is the mink. The mink (Mustela vison) belongs to the Mustelidae or weasel family. The mink along with other fur bearing animals attracted trappers, traders, and settlers to the North Country. |
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