Top 4 strange animals that turn white in winter

Weasels, arctic foxes… are animals that have the ability to change the color of their fur in winter, showing the magic of nature.

1. Weasel

Weasels live primarily in forests and grasslands throughout the Northern Hemisphere. There are three species of weasels that can change color: the least weasel (Mustela nivalis), the long-tailed weasel (Mustela frenata), and the short-tailed weasel (Mustela erminea).

In summer, the weasel's fur is reddish brown with a white belly. But when winter comes, its fur turns completely white, with only the tip of its tail remaining black, which helps it camouflage itself in the snow to hunt prey and hide from predators.

2. Arctic Fox

The Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) lives in the Arctic tundra, where temperatures can drop very low and summers are very short.

In the summer, the Arctic fox has a thin, light gray coat that thickens and turns snow-white in the winter, helping to camouflage it and keep it warm from the harsh cold of the tundra.

3. The Rabbit

Only six of the more than 40 known species of rabbits are capable of changing color in winter, including the snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus), the Arctic hare (Lepus arcticus), and the mountain hare (Lepus timidus).

Snowshoe rabbits live primarily in Canada and the northernmost regions of the United States. In the spring and summer, their fur is dark gray and brown, allowing them to blend in with the ground and rocks. When winter comes, the snow turns their fur white.

4. Peary the Reindeer

Peary caribou (Rangifer tarandus pearyi) are found only in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.

They have two layers of fur: a thick undercoat and a longer, finer layer called guard hairs that trap warm air inside, insulating and protecting the thick undercoat.

Their fur is slate grey and light brown in the summer. But when winter comes, the fur turns completely white, helping the reindeer camouflage themselves in the snow and keep them warm.