Species: Vulpes zerda
Genus: Vulpes
Conservation Status: Least Concern
General Overview
The fennec fox (Vulpes zerda) is the smallest species of fox, native to the deserts of North Africa. Its most distinctive feature is its relatively large ears, used to dissipate heat and listen to underground prey. Its coat, ears and kidney functions are adapted do desert environments in which there is high temperatures and little water.
The fennec fox mainly eats insects, small mammals and birds. They have a life span of up to 14 years in captivity and 10 years in the wild. Fennec fox pups are preyed upon by the Pharaoh eagle-owl; both adults and pups may fall prey to jackals and striped hyenas. The fox uses burrows in the sand for habitation and protection, these can be as large as 1,300 square feet and adjoin burrows of other families. There is no precise population census, but due to the frequency of sightings, the fox is categorised as Least Concern by the IUCN. In parts of the world such as North Africa and Eastern Europe, it is considered an exotic pet.
According to DNA evidence, the closest living relative to the fennec fox is the Blanford’s fox. They are two of eight “desert fox” species, which is a group of Vulpes that share comparable ecologies, the others being the corsac fox, pale fox, kit fox, Tibetan fox, Rüppell’s fox and Cape fox. All eight species evolved to survive in desert environments, developing several traits such as sandy colored coats, large ears, pigmented eyes, and specialized kidneys. The word fennec is derived from the Arabic word fanak, which likely has Persian origins. The fennec fox is the national animal of Algeria.
Description
The fennec fox has sand-coloured fur. This reflects sunlight during the day and allows it to keep warm at night. Its nose is black and has a black-tipped tail. Their ear to body ratio is the largest in the canid family, allowing them to dissipate heat and locate prey.
They are the smallest canid species. Females range in head-to-body length from 34.5 to 39.5 cm, and weigh between 1 to 1.9 kg. Males are slightly larger than females.
Distribution and Habitat
The fennec fox is distributed widely across Northern Africa; throughout the Sahara, from Morocco and Mauritania to northern Sudan and Egypt. It inhabits small sand dunes and vast treeless sand areas. Compared to other canids such as the golden jackal and Rüppell’s fox. Compared with these canids, the fennec fox inhabits areas with more extreme climate; this adaptation gives them an advantage over potential competitors.
Behaviour
Fennec foxes are primarily nocturnal; they display heightened activity during the cooler nighttime hours. This allows them to help escape the extreme Saharan heat, and they reduce water loss through panting. A fennec fox digs its den in the sand, in both areas that are open and sheltered by plants. In some cases, different families interconnect their dens or locate them close together.
Fennec foxes exhibit playful behaviour, particularly among younger individuals.
Diet
The fennec fox is omnivorous, feeding on small rodents, lizards, small birds and their eggs, insects, fruits, leaves and roots. For water, they largely rely on the moisture content of their prey due to its scarcity. It hunts alone and digs in the sand for small insects. Some individuals are observed to have buried their prey for later consumption and searching for food in the vicinity of human settlements.
Reproduction
Fennec foxes mate for life. Captive animals reach sexual maturity at around 9 months and mate between January and April. Gestation usually lasts 50-52 days, although it can last up to 63 days. After mating, the male becomes aggressive and protective over the female, providing her with food during her pregnancy and lactation. Females give birth between March and June to a litter of 1-4 pups that open their eyes after 9-11 days. Both the male and female look after the pups. They communicate by barking, purring, yapping and squeaking. The pups remain in the family even if new litters are born. The average lifespan in the wild is 10 years, and in captivity, up to 14 years.
Threats and Conservation
In North Africa, the fennec fox is commonly trapped for exhibition or sold to tourists. Expansion of permanent human settlements has also caused a disappearance of the fennec fox in such areas.
As of 2015, the fennec fox is classified as of least concern on the IUCN Red List.
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