Garry Hamilton 
Arctic Fox 
Life at the Top of the World

Curious, innovative and mysterious survivors of the arctic tundra. Ever since explorers began venturing north into the harsh lands of the arctic, they have encountered arctic foxes in the unlikeliest of places. The arctic fox is an extraordinary creature. No bigger than a house cat, it survives on almost nothing in the middle of a land so hostile it seems incompatible with the very existence of life. The tundra is a place of endless days or endless nights where temperatures can reach -58°F (-50°C) for weeks at a time, and where the terrain consists mostly of ice sheets, pack ice, ice floes, icebergs, ice shelves and glaciers. Arctic Fox tells the story of this animal from its evolutionary beginnings to its difficult life in the far north involving: Mating and raising a family Hunting and scavenging
Its relationship with the polar bear and other arctic inhabitants The fur trade Adaptation to seasonal changes The never-ending struggle for survival in a fragile and vanishing environment. This informative, lively and beautifully photographed book will fascinate naturalists and general readers.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Table of Contents Introduction PART ONE: ORIGINS Chapter 1 Rise of the Catlike Dogs Chapter 2 Into the Cold Chapter 3 Alopex lagopus — The Arctic Fox PART TWO: ADAPTATIONS Chapter 4 Life at 40 Below Chapter 5 On the Barrens Chapter 6 Tyranny of the Lemmings Chapter 7 In the Shadow of Ursus maritimus Chapter 8 When the Geese Come Chapter 9 The Problem With Permafrost Chapter 10 How to Raise a Family in 90 Days Or Less /> Chapter 11 Born To Roam Chapter 12 Grizzly Bears and Other Nuisances PART THREE: CHANGE Chapter 13 The Hunter Becomes the Hunted Chapter 14 Object of Desire Chapter 15 One Thousand Years of Loathing Chapter 16 A Cautionary Tale Epilogue Acknowledgments Map Notes Bibliography Index

Über den Autor

by Garry Hamilton with photographs by Norbert Rosing