Tundra
Cold, treeless regions with permafrost supporting specialized cold-adapted wildlife.
Animals of the Tundra
Species recorded in this habitat.
Alaskan Malamute
Canis lupus familiaris
The Alaskan Malamute is a large, powerful breed of domestic dog originally bred for its strength and endurance to haul heavy freight as a sled dog in the Arctic. With a thick double coat, erect ears, and distinctive facial markings, Malamutes are well-adapted to cold, harsh environments. They are known for their friendly disposition, intelligence, and loyalty, making them beloved companions as well as working dogs. While they resemble wolves in appearance, they are a distinct, domesticated breed with a gentle temperament. Their high energy and need for exercise make them best suited to active families and experienced owners.
Arctic Fox
Vulpes lagopus
The Arctic Fox is a small, highly adapted mammal native to the Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It is renowned for its stunning white winter coat, which provides effective camouflage against the snow, and transitions to brown or gray during the summer months. The Arctic Fox is equipped with a compact body, short muzzle, and thick fur to conserve heat in harsh, freezing environments. It is a resourceful omnivore, capable of surviving on a wide variety of foods, and demonstrates remarkable endurance and adaptability in one of the planet's most extreme habitats.
Arctic Hare
Lepus arcticus
The Arctic Hare is a hardy mammal adapted to the extreme cold of the Arctic tundra. With its thick white fur, it blends seamlessly into snowy landscapes, providing excellent camouflage from predators. It has powerful hind legs that allow it to travel swiftly across snow and escape danger. This species can survive in some of the harshest conditions on Earth, relying on its keen senses and behavioral adaptations to find food and shelter.
Common Eider
Somateria mollissima
The Common Eider is a large sea duck found along the northern coasts of Europe, North America, and eastern Siberia. Males are strikingly colored with bold black and white plumage and greenish napes, while females are mottled brown for camouflage during nesting. Renowned for their soft down, eiders gather in dense colonies on coastal islands and feed primarily by diving for mollusks and crustaceans. Their nests are lined with eiderdown, which is highly sought after for its insulating properties. These social birds are well adapted to cold marine environments and can often be seen floating in flocks near the shore.
Common Raven
Corvus corax
The Common Raven is one of the largest and most intelligent birds in the world, recognized by its glossy black plumage, robust build, and wedge-shaped tail. Found across the Northern Hemisphere, this adaptable bird thrives in a wide range of habitats from forests and mountains to deserts and tundra. Ravens are known for their complex social dynamics, remarkable problem-solving abilities, and varied vocalizations, including the ability to mimic sounds. Their omnivorous diet and resourcefulness have enabled them to coexist closely with humans as well as in remote wilderness. Their impressive flight skills and playful behavior, such as aerial acrobatics, make them fascinating subjects of study.
Dall Sheep
Ovis dalli
The Dall sheep is a striking white wild sheep native to the mountainous regions of northwestern North America. These agile mammals are well-adapted to rugged, rocky slopes and are easily recognized by their curled horns, which are especially prominent in males. Dall sheep live in herds and are known for their incredible climbing abilities, allowing them to evade predators such as wolves and bears. They graze on a variety of tundra and alpine vegetation and are a key species in the subarctic and alpine ecosystems.
Domestic Yak
Bos grunniens
The domestic yak is a large, long-haired bovine native to the high-altitude regions of the Himalayas and Central Asia. Adapted to cold mountainous environments, yaks possess a thick woolly coat and large lungs that help them thrive at elevations above 3,000 meters. They are integral to the livelihoods of people living in Tibet, Nepal, Mongolia, and surrounding areas, providing milk, meat, wool, and serving as pack animals. Yaks are known for their gentle temperament and impressive stamina, allowing them to navigate rugged terrain with ease.
Emperor Penguin
Aptenodytes forsteri
The Emperor Penguin is the largest of all penguin species and is native to Antarctica. These flightless birds are renowned for their remarkable breeding cycle, enduring the continentâs harsh winter to incubate their eggs. Emperor Penguins have a striking appearance, with black heads, backs and wings, white bellies, and yellow-orange markings on their necks. They form large colonies on the sea ice, exhibiting fascinating social behaviors to survive extreme cold.
Finnish Lapphund
Canis lupus familiaris
The Finnish Lapphund is a hardy, intelligent, and friendly dog breed originating from the Arctic regions of Finland. Traditionally used by the indigenous SĂĄmi people for herding reindeer, this medium-sized breed is known for its thick, weather-resistant double coat and expressive eyes. Finnish Lapphunds are highly adaptable, thriving in cold climates and displaying remarkable agility and stamina. They are renowned for their gentle nature, loyalty, and sociable temperament, making them excellent family companions as well as working dogs.
Gyrfalcon
Falco rusticolus
The Gyrfalcon is the largest species of falcon in the world, renowned for its powerful build and stunning plumage that ranges from pure white to dark gray. Native to the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions, this formidable raptor is adapted to cold environments and open tundra landscapes. Gyrfalcons are apex aerial predators, often preying on birds and mammals, and are celebrated for their exceptional speed and agility in flight. Highly valued in falconry for centuries, they remain elusive in the wild due to their remote habitats and low population density.
Hooded Seal
Cystophora cristata
The Hooded Seal is a large, striking seal native to the cold waters of the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. Named for the inflatable, hood-like nasal sac found in adult males, this unique structure is used for display during mating season and to ward off rivals. Hooded seals have a silvery-grey coat with irregular black spots and are known for their impressive diving abilities, often reaching depths of over 1,000 meters. Pups are born with a beautiful blue-gray fur, earning them the nickname 'bluebacks,' which they shed after a few weeks.
Horned Puffin
Fratercula corniculata
The Horned Puffin is a striking seabird known for its bold black and white plumage, bright orange beak, and the small fleshy black 'horns' above its eyes, which give the species its name. This puffin breeds along rocky cliffs and islands of the North Pacific, particularly in Alaska and eastern Russia, where it nests in crevices and among boulders. It is an adept diver, using its wings to swim underwater in pursuit of small fish and marine invertebrates. Outside the breeding season, horned puffins spend months at sea, returning to land only to nest and raise their young.
Other habitats
GlobalForest
Wooded areas with significant tree cover and diverse plant and animal communities.
Arid RegionsDesert
Arid lands with minimal rainfall, extreme temperatures, and specialized wildlife adapted to harsh conditions.
AfricaSavanna
Grasslands with scattered trees, characterized by seasonal rainfall and home to diverse grazing animals and predators.
GlobalFreshwater
Lakes, rivers, and wetlands with diverse aquatic ecosystems.
Polar RegionsArctic
Cold, frozen landscapes around the North Pole with specialized wildlife adapted to extreme cold.
Tropical RegionsRainforest
Dense, wet forests with the highest biodiversity on Earth, containing more than half of the world's plant and animal species.