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 on 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 to 4 to 3 stentecs
This mutation causing white fur in arctic foxes can be classified as a beneficial mutation. The reason for this is that the white fur provides camouflage in their snowy environment, increasing their chances of successfully hunting prey and avoiding predators. With improved camouflage, the foxes are more likely to survive in their habitat as they are better able to blend in and remain undetected.
