Kingdom: Animalia > Phylum: Chordata > Class: Mammalia > Order: Carnivora > Family: Canidae > Genus: Alopex > Species: Alopex lagopus > See subspecies

Scientific name	Source
Alopex lagopus lagopus (Linnaeus, 1758)	Fauna Europaea (2005)
Alopex lagopus spitsbergenensis (Barrett-Hamilton & Bonhote, 1898)	Fauna Europaea (2005)

Arctic fox - Alopex lagopus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Images from the web

Quick facts

Threat status Europe	Least Concern (IUCN)
EU conservation status by biogeographical region	Alpine - Unfavourable-Bad
Protected by	EU Habitats Directive and 2 other international agreements
Natura 2000 sites	27 are designated for this species
Most preferred habitats	heathland and shrub
May also occur in	grassland woodland and forest
Natura 2000 species code	1911

Distribution

The distribution map is currently disabled. A new map solution will soon become available. In the meantime, please consult other species distribution map providers listed in the Other resources panel below.

Threat and conservation status

IUCN Red List status of threatened species

The IUCN Red List threat status assesses the risk of extinction.

World

Least Concern

Europe

Least Concern

Critically Endangered

IUCN Red List Category

Not Evaluated	Near Threatened	Regionally Extinct
Not Applicable	Vulnerable	Extinct in the Wild
Data Deficient	Endangered	Extinct
Least Concern	Critically Endangered

Sources:

EU conservation status

Conservation status assesses every six years and for each biogeographical region the condition of habitats and species compared to the favourable status as described in the Habitats Directive. The map shows the 2007-2012 assessments as reported by EU Member State. Assessments are further detailed in the summary document available behind the link below.

Favourable: the species is viable and maintaining itself on a long-term basis, its natural range is not reduced, and it has a sufficient large habitat.
Unfavourable-Inadequate: the species is not as critical as being unfavourable-bad, but still requires significant conservation and restoration measure to make it viable in the long-term, or to enlarged its current range, or to improve the quality and availability of its habitat.
Unfavourable-Bad: the species is either not maintaining itself on a long-term basis and is not viable, or its natural range as been or is being drastically reduced, or its habitat is largely insufficient; the species requires major conservation and restoration measures.
Unknown: the information available for the species is scarce and does not allow a proper assessment of its conservation status.

Sources:

Full table details

Conservation status (2007-2012) of species (Habitats Directive, Article 17) by EU Member State:

country	region	conclusion
Finland	Alpine	Unfavourable-Bad
Sweden	Alpine	Unfavourable-Bad

Natura 2000 sites

Protected in the following Natura 2000 sites

Sitecode	Country	Site name	Action
FI1300102	Finland	MALLA	Map
FI1300103	Finland	PÖYRISJÄRVEN ERÄMAA	Map
FI1300105	Finland	KÄSIVARREN ERÄMAA	Map
FI1300118	Finland	TARVANTOVAARA	Map
FI1300201	Finland	LEMMENJOEN KANSALLISPUISTO	Map
FI1300202	Finland	MUOTKATUNTURIN ERÄMAA	Map
FI1300601	Finland	PULJUN ERÄMAA	Map
FI1302001	Finland	Kevo	Map
FI1302002	Finland	KALDOAIVIN ERÄMAA	Map
FI1302003	Finland	Paistunturin erämaa	Map
SE0720084	Sweden	Vålådalen	Map
SE0720164	Sweden	Skäckerfjällen	Map
SE0720171	Sweden	Svenskådalen	Map
SE0720183	Sweden	Frostvikenfjällen	Map
SE0720185	Sweden	Bjurälven-Korallgrottan	Map
SE0720199	Sweden	Gråberget-Hotagsfjällen	Map
SE0720200	Sweden	Henvålen-Aloppan	Map
SE0720223	Sweden	Hamrafjället	Map
SE0810059	Sweden	Marsfjället	Map
SE0810080	Sweden	Vindelfjällen	Map
SE0810394	Sweden	Vardo-, Laster- och Fjällfjällen	Map
SE0810398	Sweden	Norra Borgafjäll	Map
SE0810439	Sweden	Satsfjället	Map
SE0820185	Sweden	Sarek	Map
SE0820201	Sweden	Padjelanta	Map
SE0820202	Sweden	Stora Sjöfallet	Map
SE0820216	Sweden	Sjaunja	Map

Protected sites

Please note the site map takes a while to display.

Legal status

Mentioned in the following international legal instruments and agreements

Legal text	Annex	More information
Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora - consolidated version 01/01/2007 (EU Habitats Directive)	Annex II: animal and plant species of community interest whose conservation requires the designation of special areas of conservation.	http://ec.europa.eu/environm...rective/index_en.htm
	Annex IV: animal and plant species of community interest in need of strict protection.
Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats (Bern Convention)	Annex II: strictly protected fauna species	http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/cul.../bern/default_en.asp
	Revised Annex I of Resolution 6 (1998) of the Bern Convention listing the species requiring specific habitat conservation measures (year of revision 2011)	https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc....ckColorLogged=FDC864 Resolution No. 6 (1998) of the Bern Convention lists the species requiring specific habitat conservation measures [and the designation of Areas of Special Conservation Interest (ASCIs) forming for the Emerald network]

Common names and synonyms

Common Name	Language	Reference
Arctic fox	English	Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Delphra polare	Albanian	Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Eisfuchs	German	Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Fjällräv	Swedish	Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Fjeldræv	Danish	Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Fjellrev	Norwegian	Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Jäärebane	Estonian	Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Líška polárna	Slovak	Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Liška polární	Czech	Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Melrakki	Icelandic	Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Naali	Finnish	Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Piesiec	Polish	Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Polaarrebane	Estonian	Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Polarfuuss	Luxemburgish	Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Polarna lisica	Croatian	Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Polarna lisica	Slovenian	Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Polarræv	Danish	Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Poolvos	Dutch	Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Raposa-árctica	Portuguese	Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Renard polaire	French	Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Sarki róka	Hungarian	Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Tófa	Icelandic	Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Volpe artica	Italian	Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Volpe bianca	Italian	EC-DGXI.d2, ETC/NC
Volpe polare	Italian	EC-DGXI.d2, ETC/NC
Vulpe-polara	Romanian	Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Zorro ártico	Spanish	Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.

Synonym	Author
Vulpes arctica	Oken, 1816
Vulpes lagopus	Trouessart, 1910
Canis lagopus	Linnaeus, 1758
Vulpes vupes caerulea	Nilsson, 1820
Canis lagopus argenteus	Billberg, 1827
Canis lagopus tipicus	Barrett-Hamilton & Bonhote, 1898
Alopex lagopus fuliginosus	Bechstein, 1799
Alopex fuliginosus	Bechstein, 1799
Alopex lagopus spitzbergenensis	Barrett-Hamilton & Bonhote, 1898
Canis lagopus spitzbergenensis	Barrett-Hamilton & Bonhote, 1898
Alopex lagopus beringensis	Merriam, 1902
Vulpes beringensis	Merriam, 1902
Alopex beringianus	Cherski, 1920
Canis groenlandicus	Bechstein, 1799

Other resources

Fauna Europaea	Fauna Europaea
GBIF	Global Biodiversity Information Facility
Habitats Directive Art. 17-2006 summary
ITIS (invalid)	Interagency Taxonomic Information System
NCBI search	National Center for Biotechnology Information
NOBANIS: Alopex lagopus	European Network on Invasive Alien Species
PESI (Accepted)	Pan-European Species directories Infrastructure
Wikipedia	Wikipedia
WoRMS	World Register of Marine Species

External data

Reportnet deliveries

Files delivered through Reportnet with relevance to this species.

5 items found, displaying all items.1

Released	Coverage	Envelope	File
2013-12-30	Sweden	Report on Implementation Measures (Art.17.1)_delivery 2013	SE_species_reports-131230-111623.xml
2013-10-11	Finland	Hab2011-2012	FI_hab_report_2011_2012.xml
2013-10-07	Finland	Habitat directive reporting (FI) 2007-2012	FI_species_reports.xml
2008-01-11	Finland	Suomi virallinen	Species questionnaire for Alopex lagopus
2007-10-02	Sweden	Report on Implementation Measures (Art.17.1)_delivery 2007	Species questionnaire for Alopex lagopus

Write to us

Call us

Sections