Fennec Foxes

Fennec Fox Fun Facts

Learn some new facts about this adorable little fox.

Scientific name:Vulpes zerda

Foxes do bark, but it’s quite high and sharp. They bark once or twice and then fall silent. They don’t start barking the way a dog will.

Their distinctive batlike ears radiate body heat and help keep the foxes cool.

The Fennec fox is the smallest of all the world’s foxes, but it’s large ears, measuring 4-6 inches, appear to be on loan from a bigger relative. Their big ears are nearly half the size of their body.

Fennec foxes can live up to 10 years in the wild and 14 years in captivity.

They eat eggs, plants, rodents, reptiles and insects.

They are omnivores,

They are predators and

They are prey.

The Fennec foxes main predators are the various African varieties of eagle owl. Other possible predators include Jackals and the striped hyena.

Fennec foxes dwell in the sandy Sahara and elsewhere in North Africa.Their nocturnal habitat help’s them deal with the searing heat of the desert environment, and some physical adaptions help as well.

Fennec foxes live in burrows.

They are nocturnal hunters.

Find out the many names of this little big eared fox

the fox with many names

This little fox goes by quite a few names such as, The Pheonix fox,The sand fox, The Fennec fox, The bat-eared fox and The Desert fox.The scientific name for it is Vulpes zerda.

Fennec fox

Keeping cool in the lovely sunshine

Their distinctive batlike ears radiate body heat and help keep the foxes cool. They also have long, thick hair that insulates them during cold nights and protects them from hot sun during the day. Even the fox's feet are hairy, which helps them perform like snowshoes and protects them from extremely hot sand.

Look at these adorable and playful creatures

Breeding

Fennec foxes mate for life once they reach reproductive maturity at around six months of age. Following the breeding season in January and February, females gestate for about 50 days, then give birth to a litter of one to six pups. The pups aren’t weaned until they’re around three months old, which is longer than other fox species.

Behavior

Fennec foxes live in groups of 10, which typically include a mating pair, their current litter and some offspring from previous litters. They’re very playful animals that communicate through a variety of vocalizations, such as growling and chattering. The adults fiercely defend their litter and territory. Despite their social nature, fennec foxes do their hunting alone.

Present status

Fennec foxes are not listed as a threatened species. Exact population numbers have not been determined, but their widespread presence in the Sahara has led to a status of Least Concern. Fennec foxes are trapped and traded for commercial use, especially in the exotic pet trade, although the species is legally protected in several countries, including Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. Other threats to the species include habitat loss and sport hunting.

Characteristics

Fennec foxes have mostly beige-colored fur that helps them blend in with their surroundings, although the tip of their tail has black fur. Their most distinctive feature is their large ears, which help keep them cool and also help them locate prey. At an average length of 11.8 inches and an average weight of 3.3 pounds, they’re the smallest canid species.