Arctic Fox

        She calls me an Arctic Fox. I charge through the heavy snow, my white fur concealing me from predators and shielding me from the bitter cold. My small ears are pinned down by the force of the chill wind and my run. My mind is at rest, focusing only on my pumping legs, but always aware of the treacherous landscape before me. This winter in the tundra has been exceptionally brutal, making food scarce. Hopeful, I return to my usual haunts in search of food, recalling the different berries and plants I had buried there when food was more plentiful. I use my fur encased paws, which block the the cold from encompassing me, to dig at the ground beneath me. I jump up and down aggressively, plowing my front paws deep into the white snow. I find nothing.

Desperate for sustenance, I venture further north, the stench of a polar bear not far away. I wait patiently, taking refuge behind a bulky rock. As I squint into the distance, I spy the large bear tearing at the flesh of an unlucky seal near the ice. After eating most of the seal, the polar bear trudges along in the opposite direction. I watch the massive bear leave it's meal and decide to move from my position behind the boulder and take my only chance for food. Stealthily, I scamper in the direction of the seal. I carefully navigate the icy terrain and finally make it to the carcass. Using my teeth in conjunction with my rapid moving paws, I manage to drag the almost frozen meat to the surface. I clamp my mouth hard around the scraps, doing my best to prevent it from slipping back into the freezing earth. I cut at the leftover kill with my canines, swallowing the protein heartily. I feel the meat hit my empty stomach, hunger pangs slowly abiding.

Suddenly, before I can eat my fill, I hear several loud pops in the distance. My ears prick up at the familiar sound. Fearful, I snag what food I can fit into my mouth and dart back toward my den, hidden in the vast tundra. The aggressive pops continue, but sound further away as I rush back to my family. I pounce inside one of our hidden tunnels and continue my trek back home. Once approaching the den, I can hear my clan. I push my way up through a small opening and after surveying the surroundings, sprint toward another hidden opening closer to the edge of the forest. I burrow inside the hole. My mate and under-nourished pups are huddled together awaiting food. I push the limited seal meat close to them and watch as they feed.

The Arctic Fox, or Alopex lagopus, possesses an overwhelming number of traits that can both hinder and assist their species in being dependable leaders. All species of fox are notorious for being nimble, cunning, and sly, but I consider the Arctic Fox to be particularly adept. Through it's unwavering ability to adapt, the Arctic Fox has proven itself to be a great leader. Despite the many challenges that the foxes face, whether it be the constant threat of predators or the elements, the Arctic Fox has ultimately persevered.

To increase her chances of survival, my spirit animal's fur changes colors depending on the season. Her coat evolves from a burnt gray in the summer months to a brilliant white in the winter. This change in color illustrates the Arctic Fox's ability to adapt to different situations. As my spirit guide, an Arctic Fox supports me in a variety of different situations, whether it be in my education, social and professional engagements, or other life endeavors. Like her changing coat, my spirit animal inspires me to to stay flexible and be prepared to immerse myself in new experiences or opportunities. 

Due to the dangerous habitat that my spirit animal lives in, she must constantly be in the moment. If she is distracted, or ignores her basic instincts, she faces the risk of losing her life. Although my spirit animal is strong and vigilant, she too has many predators.

An interesting factor that sets apart Arctic Foxes from other animals living in the piercing cold tundra is that they do not hibernate during the winter. Their fur, serving as fantastic insulation along with their compact body, allows the Arctic Fox to conserve their heat which makes living in such a cold environment possible. The Arctic Fox is known for having the warmest coat of any mammal in the world. However, the coat that makes this fox so impermeable to the cold and allows for her to live in such freezing temperatures is also what makes her species so desirable to hunters. While for hundreds of years many indigenous people living in the tundra have relied on this fox and their coat to stay warm in the treacherous winter months, over time there has been a dramatic increase in the demand for the fur of Arctic Foxes for much more shallow and superficial reasons. Thousands of Arctic Foxes are killed each year for their fur and although the Arctic Fox in particular is not considered to be an endangered species, the brutal slaughter of poor defenseless Arctic Foxes by armed human beings disrupts the circle of life. To kill any animal in the name of fashion is selfish and disrespectful, the freedom of majestic animals being carelessly thrown away. Humans take these foxes captive and farm them for their fur. As a result, fur trade has increased drastically in the areas that Arctic Foxes inhabit and selling their pelts has become incredibly important to native people's economy. This coat serves as a barrier to the blistering elements common of the Arctic Fox's environment. Symbolically, I myself build figurative walls to protect myself from outside pressures. While I'd like to think of myself as having a thick skin, I've come to realize that I am much more sensitive than I initially believed and by keeping parts of my life a secret from the people I care about, I too am protecting myself from potential hurt. Some Native American tribes share stories of men who discover their wives are actually foxes, these tales symbolize the idea that "unless a male can recognize the magic of the feminine-in himself or others-and learn to use it to shape-shift his own life, it will ultimately lead to destruction" [i](272). I believe that the stressed importance of embracing femininity and sensitivity symbolic in foxes emphasizes the significance of being honest with ones emotions and makes the sensation of the calm before the storm possible.

        Another species of fox, the Red Fox, are expanding more and more every year into the habitats of the Arctic Fox. This competition can prove fatal for the smaller Arctic Fox because a Red Fox desperate for food will kill and eat an Arctic Fox if given the chance. Also, with the decline of bears and wolves, Arctic Foxes are losing a major source of food, the carcasses left behind by the larger predators. My spirit animal is quick on her feet, making her allusive to catch. One could learn from an Arctic Fox to always be prepared and to listen to their instincts. The Arctic Fox uses it's plethora of impressive traits to survive against all odds.

In addition to it's camouflaging coat, the Arctic Fox is also highly adaptive in a variety of other ways. For example, the Arctic Fox will eat practically anything. They plan ahead and save food for later, hiding unfinished meals very well around places they frequent. An Arctic Fox's den usually have "4–250 entrances and a system of tunnels covering about 30 square meters. Some dens have been used for centuries by generations of foxes" [ii]. Both male and female Arctic Foxes share the duties of collecting food for their young, but it is the male foxes who guard the dens from other possible predators. Arctic Foxes form lifetime monogamous bonds with each other and their family units typically consist of an adult male, a mother to the pups, another female who helps intermittently, and the offspring. The importance of loyalty and a strong family dynamic is another trait that factors into what makes the Arctic Fox such a wonderful leader.

I've learned from my spirit animal that it is best to stay out of trouble.  In the example of the relationship between polar bears and Arctic Foxes, the Arctic Fox does not endanger itself by taking down large prey, but waits for the polar bear to do so, while still reaping the benefits. Like the Arctic Fox waiting for the polar bear to make the kill, rather than meddle in other people's business, I should stay on the sidelines. I interpret this lesson as a sign to steer clear from involving myself in other people's arguments unless I feel threatened or directly attacked. Though usually successful, this method can leave the Arctic Fox dependent on other animals skills for food, preventing the fox from reaching it's full leadership potential. Similarly, if I decide to to keep to myself, more often than not I will miss out on opportunities to lead.

I believe full-heartedly that the Arctic Fox is unmistakably a leader, nevertheless "no animal is better or worse than any other. Every animal's medicine is unique," meaning that every person has the potential to be leader, but in order to actualize this potential it is important to listen to one's spirit animal and keep an open mind for one "will find [their] greatest success in the animal that comes to [them]" [iii](10).

[i] Ted Andrews, Animal Speak: The Spiritual and Magical Powers of Creatures Great and Small (Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 1993), 272.

[ii] Tannerfeldt, Magnus. "The Arctic Fox Alopex lagopus" (On-line), Accessed February 24, 2013 at www.zoologi.su.se/research/alopex/the_arctic_fox.htm

[iii] Ted Andrews, Animal Speak: The Spiritual and Magical Powers of Creatures Great and Small (Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 1993), 10. (or pg.114 in Course anthology)

- Gaby Guerrero