Lately, zoos everywhere have been welcoming new additions as the Spring mating season gives way to new babies. A very special arrival was when Aurora the Arctic Fox who gave birth to 9 pups on Sunday, May 20th. All the babies are weighing-in between 1.8 and 2.2 ounces which is a very normal and healthy weight. The pups are resting with their mother and are not currently on public display yet. Zephyr, the father, is proudly frolicking in his exhibit space.

Both male and female fox will mature sexually at one year of age. The mating season is May-February and the gestation period for a pregnant female fox is 52 days. The number of pups born can vary greatly between 6-19, and the newborns weigh approximately 2 ounces. Pups are helpless and blind when first born. They will nurse from mom until they can eat solid food. Both parents care for the pups.

A full grown Arctic fox is about 10 -16 inches long and weighs about 6-12 pounds. Not very big at all. It has short legs and a long bushy tail that it uses as insulation by wrapping it around itself when sleeping. Its long hair is white in the winter, but changes to “blue” or gray in the summer. Its head has a somewhat stubby muzzle, small ears, and large eyes. Its feet are lined with fur, which also helps it to conserve heat.

More about the Arctic Fox ~

The arctic fox is an incredibly hardy animal that can survive frigid Arctic temperatures as low as –58°F (-50°C) in the treeless lands where it makes its home. It has furry soles, short ears, and a short muzzle—all-important adaptations to the chilly clime. Arctic foxes live in burrows, and in a blizzard they may tunnel into the snow to create shelter.

Arctic foxes have beautiful white (sometimes blue-gray) coats that act as very effective winter camouflage. The natural hues allow the animal to blend into the tundra's ubiquitous snow and ice. When the seasons change, the fox's coat turns as well, adopting a brown or gray appearance that provides cover among the summer tundra's rocks and plants.

These colorings help foxes to effectively hunt rodents, birds, and even fish. But in winter prey can be scarce on the ground. At such times, arctic foxes will follow the region's premier predator—a polar bear—to eat the leftover scraps from its kills. Foxes will also eat vegetables when they are available.

Like a cat's, this fox's thick tail aids its balance. But for an arctic fox the tail (or "brush") is especially useful as warm cover in cold weather.

Female arctic foxes give birth each spring to a large litter of up to 14 pups. (Source: National Geographic)