Distribution and movements of white foxes in northern and western Alaska

Abstract

White foxes occur on the tundra of northern and western Alaska and predominate on St. Lawrence, St. Matthew, Hall, and Diomede Islands in the Bering Sea. Few white foxes are found on the Pribilof and Aleutian Islands where blue foxes dominate the local fox population. On the Alaskan Arctic Slope, two seasonal movements, the first in the fall when foxes move seaward towards the coast and sea ice, and the second in late winter and early spring when they return inland to occupy summer den sites, occur. Although reported in other arctic areas, no definite records of fox migrations in northern Alaska exist. Distribution records for white foxes in Alaska are summarized.