Fennec Fox
ExploreMammals
Fennec Fox
Vulpes zerda
The Fennec Fox is a small fox with huge ears that help it stay cool in the hot desert. It's a great digger and can live in sandy deserts where it finds food like insects and small animals.
Habitat: Desert
Appearance
The Fennec Fox is a tiny fox with enormous, pale ears, the largest relative to body size of any canid. It has soft, sandy-beige fur and a bushy, black-tipped tail, which helps it blend perfectly into desert environments.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassMammaliaOrderCarnivoraFamilyCanidaeGenusVulpes
Category
MammalsRarity
Rare
Danger
2/5 · Low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
At only 1.6 kg, the Fennec Fox is the world's smallest canid!
Fennec foxes use over 11 different calls, including barks, chatters, and whines!
Its furry feet act like snowshoes, protecting its paws from hot desert sand!
Their thick fur keeps them warm at night when desert temperatures plunge below freezing!
Special abilities
Ability
Super Hearing
Fennec Fox can pinpoint prey underground because of its enormous ears that help funnel sounds from far away.
Ability
Desert Cooling System
Fennec Fox can stay cool in the desert heat because its giant ears have many blood vessels that help release body warmth.
Ability
Master Digger
Fennec Fox can quickly dig complex burrows to escape predators and the desert sun using its strong claws.
Measurements & details
- Length
- 24-41 cm
- Weight
- 0.6-1.6 kg
- Lifespan
- 10-14 years
- Top Speed
- 40 km/h
- Litter Size
- 1-4
- Gestation
- 50-52 days
Diet & Feeding
Fennec foxes eat a variety of small animals and plants, finding most of their water from food.
Age differences: Pups drink milk then quickly switch to hunting small prey and foraging for plants.
Primary Foods
- insects
- lizards
- rodents
- birds and eggs
- fruits
- roots
Foraging Method
- Foraging
Ecological connections
hunts
Lesser Egyptian Jerboa
Gerbillus gerbillus
A key desert rodent prey, often dug from burrows.
eats
Sandfish Skink
Scincus scincus
This lizard is a common, nutritious meal.
eaten by
Pharaoh Eagle-Owl
Bubo ascalaphus
This large nocturnal raptor preys on young or unwary foxes.
eaten by
African Golden Wolf
Canis lupaster
This larger canid is a potential predator of Fennec Fox pups.
Traits
Wildlife
Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats.
Furry
Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur.
Omnivorous
This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter.
Burrowing
Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding.
Thermoregulating
Thermoregulating organisms maintain a stable internal body temperature despite fluctuations in the external environment.
Desert
Desert habitats are arid regions characterized by extremely low precipitation and often extreme temperatures, supporting specialized flora and fauna.
Nocturnal
Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day.
Also known as
No aliases listed yet.
Collections
Safety
Danger
2/5 · Low
Admire Fennec Foxes from a distance in the wild and never try to touch or feed them.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is Fennec Fox?
24-41 cm
How much does Fennec Fox weigh?
0.6-1.6 kg
How long does Fennec Fox live?
10-14 years
How fast can Fennec Fox move?
40 km/h
What does Fennec Fox eat?
Fennec foxes eat a variety of small animals and plants, finding most of their water from food.
Where is Fennec Fox usually found?
Desert
How does Fennec Fox hunt?
Foraging
How many babies does Fennec Fox usually have?
1-4
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