Q 01/05

The Arctic fox is the only native land mammal of which Atlantic island, reached over frozen sea?

A) Iceland

B) Ireland

C) Greenland

D) Newfoundland

Answer · why

A) Iceland

Iceland had no other land mammals when people arrived: the foxes had walked there across the frozen sea at the end of the last ice age.

Q 02/05

Arctic foxes often trail which hunter across the winter sea ice to eat scraps from its kills?

A) Bull walrus

B) Polar bear

C) Snowy owl

D) Sea eagle

Answer · why

B) Polar bear

Polar bear leftovers can carry a fox through the lean months. The big hunters usually tolerate their followers but will charge one that gets too close...

Q 03/05

Which Swedish outdoor brand, maker of the Kånken backpack, takes its name from the Arctic fox?

A) Haglöfs

B) Didriksons

C) Fjällräven

D) Helly Hansen

Answer · why

C) Fjällräven

Fjällräven is Swedish for "the Arctic fox", and the company's fox logo often sits on the left sleeve of its jackets.

Q 04/05

A female Arctic fox, like the female of every other fox species, goes by which name?

A) Doe

B) Sow

C) Jenny

D) Vixen

Answer · why

D) Vixen

Vixen is one of very few modern English words that keep a southern Middle English "v" sound where northern speakers said "f", as they still do in fox.

Q 05/05

Most Arctic foxes trade their thick white winter coat for short summer fur of which colour?

A) Brown

B) Ginger

C) Black

D) Golden

Answer · why

A) Brown

Brown summer fur hides the fox among bare rocks and plants. The change back begins in September, and the white coat is complete by November.