Arctic foxes are highly adapted to extreme environments. Providing meaningful welfare in captivity requires understanding their seasonal biology and behavioural repertoire.
Arctic foxes in zoo settings frequently suffer from inadequate thermal environments, insufficient space, and lack of foraging opportunities. Their wild lifestyle involves near-constant activity in search of food, and captive inactivity combined with small enclosures drives high rates of stereotypic behaviour. Zoos in temperate or warm climates face particular challenges providing appropriate thermal conditions; climate-controlled areas and deep substrate for denning are essential. Food caching enrichment, where animals bury and recover food items, is highly effective at occupying natural behaviour. Social housing decisions require individual assessment, as incompatible pairings cause significant stress. Best welfare outcomes are achieved in zoos that commit to species-specific enclosure design validated by behavioural monitoring.