Photo: Kalman, B. 'Arctic Animals'
The ptarmigan becomes very hard to see in winter
against a backdrop of snow. Even its feet are covered in feathers.
Despite all these efforts at camouflage, the ptarmigan is a loud bird.
Its noises resemble the sounds bullfrogs make.
Photo: Kalman, B. 'Arctic Animals'
When the female ptarmigan sits on her nest, its summer
colouring blends with its nesting place. The ptarmigan is completely covered by warm feathers. Even its nostrils
and feet are feathered to provide protection from the cold. The plumage
on its feet also makes the ptarmigan's feet wider. Wide feet spread its
weight more evenly so it can walk on soft snow without sinking. These
feet feathers are, not surprisingly, called snowshoe feathers!
Photo: Kalman, B. 'Arctic Animals'
Caribou
Megaloceros, a giant deer, was just over 2m (6ft 6in) at the shoulder, about the size of a moose.
The antlers together span about 3.6m (12ft), or 1.8m (6ft) each. Some were even larger.
Cave paintings often seem to indicate a colour pattern for Megaloceros with a brownish back, a creamy chest and dark markings around the neck and shoulders. Although 'Irish Elk' is a common name used for Megaloceros, it is a deer, rather than an elk (most closely related to the Fallow deer). Also it is not just found in Ireland, but all across Europe. Thus, Megaloceros (meaning 'giant antler') is a better name for it.
The large numbers of skeletons from the peat bogs of Ireland have revealed that many male Megaloceros died from malnutrition and exhaustion during the winter. This is probably due to the rigours of the autumn rutting season, which many European deer have, during which males do not eat, and fight for the right to mate with a harem of females.
Photo: http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/landofmammoth/eyecandy/main.html
Text: Adapted from http://www.bbc.co.uk/beasts/evidence/prog6/page3_2.shtml
Photo: Kalman, B. 'Arctic Animals'
Arctic Wolf