Imagine a land where the sun only rises and sets only once a year. A night stretches on for six months. Temperatures rarely rise above the sub-zero range, and trees can’t even grow in the inhospitable terrain. This land is the Arctic, and it is home to some of the world’s toughest, strangest, and most beautiful animals.

Often defined as the region above the Arctic Circle, the Arctic is the northernmost area of the world, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center. A frozen landscape around the North Pole, the theArctic region covers about 5.5 million square miles, as noted by Arctic World.

During the winter months, the average daily temperature in the Arctic region may hover around -20°C. In fact, temps as low as -50°C are not unheard of in the coldest parts of the Arctic, according to Canada’s Arctic. Despite these inhospitable conditions, however, plenty of animals manage to survive and thrive in this remote part of the earth.

From tiny migratory birds to the giant polar bear, the variety of animal life in the Arctic is remarkable. And to live in such harsh conditions, these creatures have developed some unique and striking adaptations for survival.

Read on to learn about some of the most tenacious animals on the planet.

Unlike most owls, snowy owls hunt mostly in the daytime

Most owl species are active at night, but snowy owls often hunt in the daytime, according to the Defenders of Wildlife organization. This makes them diurnal, or animals that are active during the day.

A capable predator, the snowy owls’ diet mainly consists of lemmings – a lot of lemmings. In fact, a family of snowy owls can eat up to 1,500 lemmings before the fledglings fly off, as explained by World of Owls.

These birds are fast and tough. Snowy owls can fly fast enough to knock over a grown human, as noted by National Geographic.

Polar bears can smell a seal three feet below the snow

Polar bears and the Arctic region go together perfectly. In fact, the word arctic is derived from the ancient Greek word for bear, arktos, according to Polar Bears International. This is why you’ll only find polar bears in the Arctic region, but not the Antarctic (which translates to “opposite of the bear”).

Their sense of smell is super impressive. Apolar bear can smell a seal underneath water and snow from nearly a half mile away, according to the World Wildlife Fund For Nature. Even if the seal is beneath three feet of snow, the bear can still sniff out its presence.

Bearded seals smash their heads through ice to make breathing holes

Bearded seals smash their heads through thin ice to create breathing holes, as noted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

These seals can sing. Well, sort of; male bearded seals perform underwater vocalizationsin order to attract females during mating season, according to Wildscreen Arkive.

The Beluga whale’s distinctive forehead is called a melon

The whale’s distinctive forehead is called a melon, and the beluga can alter the shape of its melon by shifting air around its sinuses, as noted by the World Wildlife Fund. This bulbous forehead may help the whales with echolocation.

Because of their wide range of vocalizations, beluga whales are sometimes known as the sea canary, according to Whale and Dolphin Conservation. They make at least eleven distinct sounds, from chirps to whistles, and belugas in captivity can mimic the sounds of human speech.

The Canada lynx has a foot like a snowshoe

The Canada lynx has big feet with spread-out toes that enable it to cover snowy terrain, as noted by the Big Cat Rescue. Like built-in snowshoes, these big feet help distribute their weight more evenly.

Canada lynx primarily eat snowshoe hare, which they catch by surprise attack. The Canada lynx may wait in a hiding spot for hours until the right time (and meal) comes along, according to Canadian Geographic.

A single puffin was once recorded carrying 62 fish at once

The name puffin is possibly derived from the appearance of the puffin chicks, which look like puff balls thanks to their dense downy feathers, according to Audubon Project Puffin.

These ten-inch-tall birds can haul quite a bit of food in their beaks. In fact, one puffin can carry about ten fish back to its nest at a time, as explained by the Audubon Project Puffin. And a single puffin in Britain was once recorded carrying 62 fish at once, as further noted by the Audubon Project Puffin.

The puffin’s bill and feet are only bright orange during its breeding season in the springtime, according to the World Wildlife Fund. When the breeding season is up, they shed the bright outer bill for a smaller, more neutral beak.

Arctic foxes aren’t always white

The arctic fox’s thick fur helps it conserve heat in frigid temperatures. Plus, arctic foxes even have fur on their paws, allowing them to walk across snow and ice, as noted by Defenders of Wildlife.

In the summer months, arctic foxes have a brown or grey coat, and they grow the thick white coat in the winter. Arctic foxes are the only canid that can change coat color in the summertime, according to Canadian Geographic.

Arctic hares can run faster than Usain Bolt

Arctic hares can run at speeds of 40 miles per hour, according to National Geographic. In comparison, Usain Bolt clocked in at 23 miles per hour in his 100-meter run, as noted by the National Council on Strength and Fitness. These hares kick up some serious speed.

A threatened hare will stand on its hind legs, tuck one forelimb close to its body, and hop away in a three-legged stance. This leaves the appearance of a three-legged animal in its tracks, as explained by the Animal Diversity Web.

The narwhal’s tusk is actually a large tooth

The unicorn of the sea, narwhals are known for the large tusk protruding from their heads. In fact, the narwhal’s spiral tusk can grow up to 10 feet in length, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

The narwhal’s tusk is actually a large tooth, and it contains about 10 million nerve endings, as further explained by the World Wildlife Fund. This means the tusk likely has some sensory capabilities.

Its name is derived from the Norse word “nar,” which means “corpse-like,” according to Whale Facts. With this in mind, the name narwhal means “corpse whale.” This may be in reference to the narwhal’s grey-white coloring, which sort of resembles a dead body. Yikes.

The arctic wolf grows a second layer of fur for extra warmth in the wintertime

Thearctic wolf’s thick coat enables it to withstand sub-zero temperatures, as noted by the World Wildlife Fund. It even grows a second layer of fur for extra warmth in the wintertime.

Arctic wolves can even survive in conditions that bring aboutfive months of total darkness per year, as further noted by the World Wildlife Fund.

Moose can run at speeds of 35 miles per hour

The largest of all deer species, moose can have antlers that span six feet across, according to National Geographic.

Despite their large size, moose can run at speeds of 35 miles per hour, as noted by American Expedition.

You can tell the age of a dall sheep by looking at its horns

The animal’s horns grow in a way that produces rings called annuli, and theage of dall sheep can be determined by counting the annuli, according to the National Park Service. It’s similar to counting the rings of growth on a tree.

It takesseven or eight years of growth for the horns of a male dall sheep to achieve its distinctive curl shape, as further noted by the National Park Service.

The wolverine is also known as a skunk bear

Also known as a skunk bear, the wolverine is actually the largest member of the weasel family, as noted by the Defenders of Wildlife. It’s also related to otters and mink.

Tough, powerful animals, wolverine can cover over 15 miles a day while searching for food, according to National Geographic.

Ermines hunt in a zigzag pattern

Only about 7 to 13 inches long at maturity, ermines are tough little animals. The carnivorous ermine can hunt entirely beneath snow cover in search of rodents, rabbits, and insects, as explained by Blue Planet Biomes.

Easily able to run across snow, ermines hunt in a zigzag pattern, according to Biokids Kids’ Inquiry of Diverse Species. They are quick, capable predators.

Arctic terns migrate around 25,000 miles every year

Arctic terns migrate around 25,000 miles every year, leaving their Arctic breeding grounds for their winter home in Antarctica, according to The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. It’s the farthest yearly travel of any bird.

Mosttern courtship takes place high in the air, with pairs and groups performing high aerial flights, according to the Audubon Guide To North American Birds.