Arctic foxes face competitive exclusion from their range as red foxes expand northward with warming temperatures, creating welfare challenges through territorial conflict.
Arctic foxes displaced by red fox territorial expansion must move to marginal habitats with lower prey density, causing nutritional stress. Direct encounters between species result in injury and death for arctic foxes. The stress of chronic competitive displacement affects reproductive success and individual welfare over time. Supplementary feeding programmes in Norway and Sweden reduce competition pressure but require long-term commitment to maintain.