It's dark and the temperature is zero degrees Fahrenheit. During an Arctic winter, the sun stays below the horizon for as many as 67 days. During that long night, temperatures can fall to 80 o F below zero. Plants and animals have adapted to survive harsh Arctic conditions. To find out how they do it, lift the tab on each photo.
Bears prepare for winter by eating large quantities of food and building up a thick layer of fat.
Nearly dragging the ground, the guard hairs form an excellent barrier against blowing snow and strong arctic winds sweeping across the Coastal Plain. Qiviut, the fine, fluffy wool of the undercoat, is softer than cashmere yet warmer and more durable than sheep's wool. Selective Survival Burrowing into the previous year's leaf litter, queen bumble bees are the only members of their colonies to survive winter. In spring, they start new colonies with eggs fertilized the previous fall. Slow Growing During summer, brightly colored butterflies and moths may be seen fluttering among the low-growing flowers of the Arctic.