The first two types of tundra -- Arctic and alpine -- support virtually the same animals. Antarctica, though, has different herbivores because it is cut off from other land masses that have warmer climates. While the Arctic tundra has reindeer, musk ox and other migratory animals, the Antarctic region does not. There are no large Antarctic species on the continent and there are no strict herbivores on it. The main diet in Antarctica is fish, for mammals such as penguins and seals.
Tundra herbivores come in a variety of sizes. There are smaller herbivores, including arctic hare, rabbits, ptarmigan, or marmot, which are near the bottom of the food chain and often consumed by the slightly larger carnivores that are around the area. Larger herbivores found in the tundra, including musk-ox, reindeer, mountain goats, and caribou, are also susceptible to the larger carnivores, especially wolf packs, which roam the area.
During the short growing season, usually about two months during the summer, with a 24-hour daylight period, a variety a short plants grow. Marshes and ponds are plentiful and provide water for both plants and animals. Grasses, lichens, sedges, mosses and lichen are all common edible plants for herbivores. The animals consume a great deal during this time, and store up weight for the winter. Berry bushes are also common during this time.
Most herbivores, including deer, caribou and musk-ox, migrate across the tundra to warmer southern climates during winter, to find food and shelter from the cold. They form into large groups, often in the thousands, to make the long trek to areas that begin to be populated by small trees, staying continuously on the move for food during this time.
