Habitats- Arctic

The Arctic habitat is a cold area at the top of the Earth above the Arctic Circle where certain plants and animals live. It is made up of the Arctic Ocean and areas of the U.S., Canada, Russia, Iceland, Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Greenland. The arctic is made up of icy glaciers, the Arctic Ocean with sea ice, and tundra, or flat plains with no trees. The average temperature in the arctic for the winter can drop below −58 °F. In the summer time it can reach 14 to 50 °F, sometimes exceeding 86 °F.

Global warming has been affecting the arctic for 30 years, the Arctic helps to regulate the world’s temperature, so as more Arctic ice melts the warmer our world becomes. Global warming is causing Arctic ice to melt — ice reflects sunlight, while water absorbs it. When the Arctic ice melts, the oceans around it absorb more sunlight and heat up, making the world warmer as a result. Over the past century, the global average sea level has risen four to eight inches. Melting Arctic ice is expected to speed up sea level rise. Some experts even estimate that the oceans will rise as much as 23 feet by 2100, which would flood major coastal cities and submerge some small island countries, causing untold devastation. our dependence on oil is what’s causing climate change in the first place, but that hasn’t stopped big corporations like Shell and Exxon Mobil from trying to exploit the Arctic. Burning more fossil fuels is the last thing we should be doing if we hope to prevent the worst effects of climate change. There are ways we can limit the damage, by preventing drilling, we can protect the Arctic for the millions of people and animals that call it home and stop fossil fuel companies from making climate change worse.

Lemmings are small rodents that call the Arctic tundra home. Few trees can survive the vast expanses of exposed tundra, so lemmings burrow underneath the snow. Since they’re also covered in thick, long fur, lemmings find their snow tunnels to be comfortable winter homes, because the snow traps the air. Hares don’t only rely on their fur, though. They use a tried and true technique to survive the cold: they hang out in large groups. You might find hundreds of Arctic hares huddled together for warmth and protection. Arctic ground squirrels spend up to seven months at a stretch hibernating inside their cozy dens. Before retiring for the winter, they line their dens with insulating materials, such as hair and leaves. During hibernation, their hearts slow down and their body temperature drops almost to freezing. They stay in this vegetative-like state until warmer temperatures return. Some of the larger animals you’ll find on the Arctic tundra are musk oxen. Their long, thick, dark hair surrounds them like a tent, keeping them warm. Their hairs are unique in that they’re hollow. These hollow hairs help to trap air close to the body where it keeps the animals cozy. Like Arctic hares, musk oxen also tend to hang out in groups when it gets especially cold. The polar bear’s thick fur insulates its body quite well, but it’s also surprisingly oily. This oily coating helps keep moisture out and heat in. Polar bears fight off hypothermia and it sits just beneath the skin: a thick layer of blubbery fat. When you combine the polar bear’s layer of fat with its thick, oily fur, it’s no wonder that polar bears can frolic about in the cold waters of the Arctic and thrive. Animals like walruses, seals, and polar bears all have a thick layer of fat, called blubber, that keeps them warm in the icy waters of the Arctic and Antarctic. And polar bears have black skin underneath two layers of fur that help trap the heat when they are on land.

Living in the arctic can be pretty difficult considering how cold it can get. Follow these few tips and you will be okay!

• Stay warm: Clean clothes are warm clothes, as clothing that are dirty, grimy or caked with muck will not insulate as well. Overheating is a major danger, as your inner layer of clothing will absorb your sweat — -and warmth. Open your parka and remove a thin inner layer of clothing if you start to get too hot. Loose layers of clothing help keep you warm, as does staying dry.
• Get shelter: Shelters keep out the elements and hide you from any predators. Construct a shelter out of snow or wood, but never metal, as metal sucks away any heat you are going to create. Establish a shelter that is large enough to fit your body and not much else. You don’t need tons of space, but only enough room to sleep and, if you wish, light a fire. Make sure to include a ventilation hole for smoke if you are planning to light a fire.
• Gather food & water: Purify all water sources with water tablets before drinking. Fish and sea life, other than the highly toxic black mussel, Arctic shark or sculpin eggs, work for food. Choices include a variety of mussels, sea cucumbers, fish eggs and sea urchins as well as shellfish and kelp that wash to shore.
• Prepare a kit: House your kit in a lightweight, durable box or pouch made of a waterproof material with a waterproof seal. Include your first-aid items along with tablets to purify water, matches or other equipment to start fires and a mirror or other items that can send signals. Keep a knife and other small tools like a sewing needle and thread, candles, fishhooks and fishing line, wire, surgical blades and anything else you foresee needing in an emergency or otherwise.

In conclusion, the arctic is very cold and hard to live in. If you follow the tips and stay away from predators your trip will be nice and cold!

https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/geography/general-geography/ten-facts-about-the-arctic/