A species of fox lives in the arctic where the ground is covered in white snow most of the year. These arctic foxes hunt rodents and other small mammals, while their predators include eagles, wolves, and polar bears. A mutation in its DNA causes a fox to have white fur rather than brown. Given this information, would you classify this mutation as a harmful, beneficial, or neutral mutation? Would this make the fox more or less likely to survive? In 2-3 sentences Explain your answer.
The mutation causing the fox to have white fur instead of brown is beneficial in this arctic environment, as it provides the fox with better camouflage against the snowy background, making it more difficult for predators to spot them. This increased camouflage would make the fox more likely to survive, as it can more effectively hunt for prey and avoid being hunted itself. Overall, this mutation would be classified as beneficial.
