The tundra is one of the harshest ecosystems on Earth, characterized by freezing temperatures, strong winds, and a short growing season. Despite these extreme conditions, a remarkable variety of animals have adapted to survive in this environment. From large mammals like musk oxen and polar bears to tiny insects and rodents, tundra animals have evolved specialized traits such as thick fur, seasonal camouflage, and fat layers to conserve heat. These adaptations allow them to forage, hunt, and reproduce in an ecosystem where food is scarce for much of the year.
Many tundra animals are herbivores that feed on the sparse vegetation available, such as mosses, lichens, grasses, and shrubs. Species like caribou, Arctic hares, and lemmings rely on these resources and have developed strategies to find food under snow or endure long periods without it. In turn, these herbivores form the base of the tundra food chain, supporting predators such as Arctic foxes, wolves, and snowy owls. The delicate balance of predator and prey is crucial for maintaining the tundra ecosystem’s stability.
Birds play a vital role in the tundra as well, many of which migrate seasonally to take advantage of the brief Arctic summer. Species like Arctic terns, puffins, and godwits breed during the short summer months, feeding on insects, fish, and other small animals. Their migrations connect the tundra with ecosystems thousands of kilometers away, showing how this seemingly isolated biome is part of a global ecological network. Birds also help disperse seeds and contribute to nutrient cycling in tundra soils.
Aquatic animals, including seals, whales, and cold-water fish, complement the terrestrial wildlife of the tundra. Many marine mammals rely on the sea ice that borders the tundra for breeding and resting, while fish provide food for birds and predators along the coast.
Animals That Live In the Tundra
Arctic Fox
The Arctic fox is one of the tundra’s most iconic animals. It has a thick, white coat in winter that turns brown in summer, helping it blend with its surroundings. Its dense fur, short ears, and small body conserve heat, allowing it to survive in freezing temperatures while hunting lemmings, birds, and carrion.
Lemming
Lemmings are small rodents that play a vital role in the tundra food chain. Their thick fur keeps them warm as they burrow under the snow to find roots and grasses. They reproduce rapidly, providing a major food source for predators like Arctic foxes and snowy owls.
Polar Bear
The polar bear is the largest land carnivore and a dominant predator of the Arctic tundra and sea ice regions. Its thick fur, insulating fat layer, and large paws allow it to survive extreme cold and swim long distances. Polar bears primarily hunt seals but also scavenge when food is scarce.
Ermine (Stoat)
The ermine, or short-tailed weasel, grows a white winter coat for camouflage in snow. It hunts small rodents and birds, using speed and agility to catch prey. Its ability to change fur color seasonally helps it survive both tundra winters and brief summers.
Arctic Wolf
The Arctic wolf, a subspecies of the gray wolf, is perfectly adapted to tundra life. It has thick white fur, shorter snouts, and smaller ears to conserve heat. Living in packs, these wolves hunt caribou, musk oxen, and Arctic hares, often traveling vast distances across the icy wilderness.
Ptarmigan
The ptarmigan is a hardy bird that thrives in the tundra’s freezing conditions. It changes its plumage color seasonally — white in winter and brown in summer — for camouflage. Ptarmigans feed on buds, berries, and leaves and have feathered feet that act like snowshoes to help them walk on snow.
Wolverine
The wolverine is a fierce tundra predator known for its strength and resilience. It has thick fur and large paws for moving across deep snow. Wolverines are scavengers and hunters, feeding on small mammals, birds, and carrion, and are capable of taking down prey much larger than themselves.
Brown Lemming
A close relative of the collared lemming, the brown lemming is another small rodent found throughout the Arctic tundra. It remains active during winter, burrowing under snow for insulation and feeding on mosses and roots. Their population cycles greatly influence predator numbers in the region.
Arctic Ground Squirrel
This small mammal is one of the few tundra animals that truly hibernate. The Arctic ground squirrel lowers its body temperature below freezing during hibernation to survive long, cold winters. In summer, it feeds on seeds, insects, and vegetation, storing fat for the cold season ahead.
Snow Goose
Snow geese migrate to the Arctic tundra each summer to breed. Their white plumage blends with the snow, and they feed on tundra plants, roots, and grasses. They are strong fliers and travel thousands of kilometers between their Arctic breeding grounds and southern wintering areas.
Arctic Tern
Known for having the longest migration of any bird, the Arctic tern travels from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back each year. It breeds on tundra coasts, feeding on fish and small marine life. Its lightweight body and long wings allow it to endure vast journeys across the globe.
Lapland Longspur
The Lapland longspur is a small songbird that nests in the Arctic tundra during summer. It feeds on insects and seeds and uses the brief tundra summer to raise its young. Its brown-and-black plumage helps it blend with the tundra ground cover.
Tundra Swan
Tundra swans migrate north to breed in Arctic wetlands and tundra lakes. Their long necks and white plumage make them elegant symbols of the Arctic. They feed on aquatic plants, roots, and tubers during the brief summer season.
Collared Lemming
The collared lemming is specially adapted to cold tundra life. In winter, it grows a white coat and lives beneath the snow, feeding on vegetation. It is a critical food source for many Arctic predators, including snowy owls and Arctic foxes.
Snow Bunting
The snow bunting is one of the few songbirds that lives in the tundra year-round. Its white plumage provides excellent camouflage, and it nests in rocky crevices to protect itself from cold winds. It feeds on seeds and small insects during the short Arctic summer.
Beluga Whale
Although mostly aquatic, the beluga whale is often found in Arctic and sub-Arctic waters bordering the tundra. Its white color and thick blubber layer help it survive icy waters. Belugas feed on fish and crustaceans and migrate with the seasonal movement of sea ice.
Narwhal
The narwhal, often called the “unicorn of the sea,” inhabits Arctic waters along tundra coastlines. Males are famous for their long spiral tusks, which can reach up to 10 feet in length. These whales live in icy waters and feed mainly on fish, squid, and shrimp. Their thick blubber and ability to navigate under sea ice make them perfectly adapted to tundra marine ecosystems.
Caribou (Reindeer)
Caribou, known as reindeer in Eurasia, are iconic tundra animals. They migrate across vast Arctic regions in search of food, feeding mainly on lichens, grasses, and mosses. Their broad, concave hooves help them walk on snow and dig for vegetation beneath it. Caribou are also crucial to the survival of Indigenous Arctic peoples, providing food, clothing, and materials.
Snowy Owl
The snowy owl is one of the most recognizable tundra birds. It has thick plumage and a rounded body that retains heat in frigid temperatures. Snowy owls prey mainly on lemmings and other small mammals, and their populations fluctuate depending on prey abundance. These majestic birds are strong flyers and highly territorial during breeding season.
Arctic Hare
The Arctic hare has pure white fur that camouflages it in the snow and provides insulation against the cold. It lives in groups for protection and feeds on woody plants, mosses, and lichens. Its strong hind legs allow it to move quickly across snowy terrain to escape predators like Arctic foxes and wolves.
Musk Ox
Musk oxen are among the oldest mammals still roaming the tundra. Covered in long, shaggy coats and a soft underlayer called qiviut, they can withstand extreme cold. These large herbivores form herds for protection and graze on grasses, sedges, and mosses. When threatened, they form defensive circles around their young.
Polar Bear
The polar bear, the world’s largest land carnivore, inhabits tundra regions along the Arctic coasts and sea ice. Its thick fur, black skin, and a layer of fat provide insulation against subzero temperatures. Polar bears are skilled swimmers and primarily hunt seals, but they also scavenge or prey on other animals when food is scarce.
Arctic Fox
The Arctic fox is one of the most resilient tundra predators. Its thick fur changes color with the seasons — white in winter and brown in summer — providing camouflage. It feeds on lemmings, birds, and carrion, and is known for following polar bears to scavenge leftovers. Its short muzzle and furry paws minimize heat loss.
Ermine (Stoat)
The ermine, or short-tailed weasel, thrives in tundra regions and undergoes a dramatic seasonal color change. Its brown summer coat turns completely white in winter, except for the black-tipped tail. Ermines are agile hunters that prey on small mammals, birds, and eggs, using their speed and stealth to survive the harsh tundra.
Arctic Wolf
The Arctic wolf, a subspecies of the gray wolf, is specially adapted to the tundra’s cold climate. It has thick white fur, shorter ears, and a more compact body to conserve heat. Living in packs, they hunt caribou, musk oxen, and Arctic hares. These wolves can travel long distances across icy terrain in search of prey.
Bearded Seal
The bearded seal is a large Arctic marine mammal often found near tundra coastlines and sea ice. It gets its name from the long, stiff whiskers on its face. These seals feed mainly on clams, fish, and crustaceans and are a primary food source for polar bears. Their thick blubber keeps them insulated from the frigid water temperatures.
Ringed Seal
The ringed seal is the smallest and most widespread seal species in the Arctic. It has distinctive ring-like markings on its back and relies on sea ice for resting, breeding, and giving birth. The ringed seal’s ability to maintain breathing holes through ice makes it one of the most resilient marine mammals in tundra ecosystems.
Harlequin Duck
This small, colorful sea duck breeds along tundra rivers and rocky coasts. Males have striking blue, chestnut, and white plumage. Harlequin ducks are strong swimmers, feeding on aquatic insects, mollusks, and crustaceans in fast-flowing, icy streams.
Ivory Gull
The ivory gull is a pure-white bird that inhabits the high Arctic tundra and ice fields. It feeds mainly on fish, carrion, and scraps left by polar bears and other predators. Because of its dependence on sea ice, the ivory gull is considered a key indicator of Arctic environmental changes.
Puffin
The Atlantic puffin, sometimes seen in tundra coastal regions, is a small seabird known for its colorful beak. Puffins nest in burrows on tundra cliffs during summer, where they raise their chicks. They feed on small fish such as capelin and sand eels, diving expertly into cold Arctic waters.
Arctic Char
The Arctic char is a cold-water fish found in tundra lakes and rivers. Related to salmon and trout, it can live in both freshwater and saltwater. It is a vital food source for many tundra predators, including humans, and survives freezing temperatures by producing natural antifreeze proteins in its blood.
Greenland Shark
One of the Arctic’s most mysterious inhabitants, the Greenland shark lives in icy waters near tundra coasts. It is one of the longest-living vertebrates, with lifespans estimated at over 400 years. This slow-moving predator feeds on fish, seals, and carrion, and is perfectly adapted to dark, cold environments.
Pacific Loon
The Pacific loon breeds in the Arctic tundra during summer, nesting near freshwater lakes and ponds. It has striking plumage with a checkered back and a sleek black-and-white neck pattern. Loons are excellent divers, feeding on fish and aquatic insects.
Brant Goose
The brant goose is a migratory bird that nests in Arctic tundra regions and winters further south. It feeds primarily on mosses, grasses, and sea plants. These geese are social birds, often seen flying in tight flocks during migration.
Arctic Skua (Parasitic Jaeger)
The Arctic skua is a bold seabird that breeds on tundra grasslands. It’s known for its aggressive behavior — often chasing other birds to steal their food midair. Agile and fast, it plays a key role in controlling other bird populations within tundra ecosystems.
Rock Ptarmigan
The rock ptarmigan is closely related to the common ptarmigan but prefers rockier tundra areas. Like its relative, it changes color seasonally, turning white in winter for camouflage. It feeds on buds, twigs, and berries, and is a vital food source for Arctic foxes and birds of prey.
Lapland Bunting
The Lapland bunting is a small migratory bird that breeds in the Arctic tundra. It feeds on seeds and insects and uses tundra grasses and rocks to hide its nest from predators. Its brown-and-white plumage provides camouflage against the tundra ground.
Siberian Ibex
The Siberian ibex is a wild goat species that inhabits mountainous tundra regions. It has long, curved horns and thick, coarse hair to survive harsh winters. These herbivores graze on grasses and shrubs and are extremely agile on rocky terrain.
Rock Ptarmigan (unique subspecies)
A subspecies of the rock ptarmigan, distinct from previously mentioned ptarmigans, inhabits high tundra plateaus. It has seasonal camouflage and feeds on buds, leaves, and berries. Its nesting strategy involves ground scrapes hidden among low vegetation.
Northern Collared Lemming (unique population)
A distinct tundra population of collared lemmings feeds on mosses and grasses under snow cover. Their population cycles heavily influence the abundance of tundra predators like foxes and birds of prey.
Red-throated Loon
This Arctic-nesting water bird inhabits tundra lakes and ponds. It dives to catch small fish and aquatic invertebrates. Its slender neck and pointed bill make it an agile hunter in shallow, icy waters.
Bar-tailed Godwit
A migratory shorebird, the bar-tailed godwit nests in Arctic tundra wetlands. It feeds on insects, crustaceans, and worms in the soft soil and undertakes one of the longest nonstop migratory flights of any bird.
Tundra Vole
The tundra vole is a small rodent that burrows in tundra grasslands. It feeds on roots, grasses, and mosses and provides an important food source for foxes, owls, and other tundra predators.
Arctic Shrew
The Arctic shrew is a tiny insectivorous mammal adapted to tundra life. It has a high metabolism to survive cold temperatures and feeds on insects, worms, and small invertebrates. Its burrows help it escape harsh weather.
Greenland Ringed Seal (unique population)
Distinct from previously mentioned ringed seals, this population is highly adapted to coastal tundra regions of Greenland. It feeds on fish and crustaceans and uses sea ice for pupping and resting, playing a critical role in the Arctic marine ecosystem.