Arctic foxes primarily mark their territory through scent marking. They deposit urine or feces at specific locations and use specialized glands that produce strong-smelling substances. These scent marks are placed on rocks, vegetation, and other prominent objects to communicate presence and boundaries to other foxes, reducing conflict and intrusion.
Scent marking also helps foxes investigate new objects or environmental changes. In addition to scent, they may use vocalizations and visual cues such as body posture and facial expressions, but scent marking remains the main method of territorial communication.