homehome Home chatchat Notifications


Arctic foxes threatened by red ones

Global warming shows more and more effects with eacy passing day. Russian arctic foxes are threatened by their red relatives, for the first time. For the first time in history, a red fox has been seen intruding on an arctic fox breeding den. The arctic fox is not prepared for a fight, because they are […]

Mihai Andrei
April 14, 2011 @ 9:16 am

share Share

Help!

Global warming shows more and more effects with eacy passing day. Russian arctic foxes are threatened by their red relatives, for the first time. For the first time in history, a red fox has been seen intruding on an arctic fox breeding den.

The arctic fox is not prepared for a fight, because they are smaller and developed differently, to adapt to the conditions of the freezing Arctic regions. But as temperatures continue to drop, the arctic fox is forced to retreat further and further, while red fox populations continue to expand. Where the two populations overlap, there’s no question about who is going to win; the arctic fox doesn’t stand a chance.

“We were surprised to meet a red fox in our study area on the Russian Arctic tundra because this species is very rare in such northern territories,” explained researcher Anna Rodnikova.

Cornered by rising temperatures, threatened by humans, with less and less food available each month, arctic foxes now have to face an expanding population of red foxes. If things continue to develop in this way, it hurts me to say it, but there isn’t much of a future for them.

“Most likely climate warming allows red foxes to survive in severe northern conditions, so [they] have an opportunity to expand their range to the North where they dominate over Arctic foxes.”

share Share

A New Type of Rock Is Forming — and It's Made of Our Trash

At a beach in England, soda tabs, zippers, and plastic waste are turning into rock before our eyes.

Meet the Indian Teen Who Can Add 100 Numbers in 30 Second and Broke 6 Guinness World Records for Mental Math

The Indian teenager is officially the world's fastest "human calculator".

Superbugs are the latest crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa

Researchers found an alarming rise in antibiotic-resistant infections among children.

Conservative people in the US distrust science way more broadly than previously thought

Even chemistry gets side-eye now. Trust in science is crumbling across America's ideology.

Earth Might Run Out of Room for Satellites by 2100 Because of Greenhouse Gases

Satellite highways may break down due to greenhouse gases in the uppermost layers of the atmosphere.

This Is How Autocrats Quietly Take Over and What You Can Do About It

We can't rely on just the courts. Reversing political backsliding needs the people's voices.

Your Gum Is Shedding Microplastics into Your Saliva

One gram of chewing gum can release up to 600 microplastic particles into your body.

The Arctic Seafloor Is Full of Life — And We’re About to Destroy It

The Arctic Ocean is more than just icy waters, it harbors vibrant ecosystems — but it also harbors valuable oil, gas, and rare earth elements.

Climate change is about to erase $1.4 trillion in real estate value in the US

Homeownership is becoming increasingly unsustainable in high-risk areas as wildfires, floods, and hurricanes drive up insurance costs.

5 Everyday Products That Contain Hidden Lead—Are You at Risk?

Lead has made its way to not just your food but also to your lipstick and protein powder. Here's what we know.