The arctic (from the Greek word for “bear” because the “great bear” constellation is prominantly visible from this region) is the region north of the arctic circle, which is the limit of where the sun can sometimes be seen at midnight, and also where trees don’t grow. The arctic can also be defined as the area where the average temperature of the warmest month is not above 10 degrees C. The north of Canada and Alaska, Russia, Norway and Greenland are within the arctic area.

Animals that live in the Arctic include organisms living in the ice, fish and marine mammals, birds, some land animals, plants particularly lichens and mosses, and people.

Animals within the arctic area include the Arctic fox, polar bear, Arctic hare, lemming, Arctic wolf, muskox, and caribou.

Birds of the Arctic include the Arctic tern, which migrates to the Antarctic every year.

Here are some photos of arctic animals . . .

The arctic fox shelters in the frozen, hoar-frost-covered grasses of the tundra.

The spectacular flight of the arctic tern, which flys 25,000 miles a year, light and agile, beautiful and capable.

The delicately beautiful Arctic fox against the gold of the setting sun on the crisp white snow.

Warm in its thick winter coat, the Arctic hare shelters in the deep snow of its frozen wilderness.

The thundering run of the musk ox high in the cloud-covered mountains is its remote wilderness home . . . strange, powerful, aloof.

The tender yet powerful motherly love of the polar bear, the curious but unsure cub protected securely in its mothers capable embrace.

The small polar bear cub shelters within the powerful stance of the alert and able mother.

The power and grace of the Arctic wolf running through the deep snow of its remote frozen wilderness, the bright spark of powerful life in the empty land.

For more info on the arctic, see Wikipedia “Arctic”

For more arctic animal photos, see 110 Arctic Animal posters.

For more photos of polar bears, see Polar Bear photos.