Kingdom: Animalia > Phylum: Chordata > Class: Mammalia > Order: Carnivora > Family: Canidae > Genus: Vulpes > Species: Vulpes lagopus

Arctic fox - Vulpes lagopus (Linnaeus, 1758)

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Quick facts

Threat status Europe	Least Concern (IUCN)
Protected by	EU Habitats Directive and 2 other international agreements
Natura 2000 sites	29 are designated for this species

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 2013-2018 assessments as reported by EU Member State. Assessments are further detailed in the summary document available behind the link below.

Good: 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.
Poor: 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.
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.

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
SE0820619	Sweden	Tavvavuoma	Map
SE0820620	Sweden	Pältsa	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. (Alopex lagopus)	http://ec.europa.eu/environm...rective/index_en.htm
	Annex IV: animal and plant species of community interest in need of strict protection. (Alopex lagopus)
Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats (Bern Convention)	Annex II: strictly protected fauna species (Alopex lagopus)	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) (Alopex lagopus)	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
Alopex lagopus	(Linnaeus, 1758)

Other resources

Fauna Europaea search	Fauna Europaea
GBIF search	Global Biodiversity Information Facility
ITIS search	Interagency Taxonomic Information System
NCBI search	National Center for Biotechnology Information

External data

No external data sets available for this species

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