This article was most recently revised and updated by, fennec - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Its long ears have longitudinal reddish stripes on the back and are so densely haired inside that the external auditory meatus is not visible. It has long, thick, whitish to sand-coloured fur and a black-tipped tail 18–31 cm long. Its large eyes are dark.

[3] The edges of the ears are whitish, but darker on the back. Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute 3001 Connecticut Ave., NW Washington, DC 20008, PO Box 37012 [19], The fennec fox is listed in CITES Appendix II. At the Smithsonian's National Zoo, fennec foxes eat meat, assorted fruits and vegetables, mice and insects. It was placed in the genus Vulpes by Karl Christian Gmelin in 1788. Washington, DC 20013. They forage for plants but also eat rodents, eggs, reptiles, and insects. [22], Fennekin, the Fire-type starter Pokémon alongside with their evolutionary lines from Pokémon X and Y, is based on the fennec fox. They can catch and kill prey larger than themselves; there have been documented cases of fennec foxes taking down fully grown rabbits. Its coat, ears, and kidney functions have adapted to the desert environment with high temperatures and little water. Share the story of this animal with others. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. It is protected in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt, where it has been documented in several protected areas.

[1], The fennec fox is the national animal of Algeria.

[1] Its most distinctive feature is its unusually large ears, which serve to dissipate heat. The species also displays behaviors uncharacteristic of foxes, such as living in packs while most other fox species are solitary. [24], Fenneko, one of main character from the 2018 Netflix's series Aggretsuko', is a fennec fox.[25]. Please reorganize this content to explain the subject's impact on popular culture, CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of October 2020 (, "Genome sequence, comparative analysis and haplotype structure of the domestic dog". Live-Animal Transportation Information Airline shipping is available to … These continue to be difficult times, so we must fall back on your passion for our critical mission now more than ever.

Mainly nocturnal, the fennec spends the heat of the day underground in its burrow. Its most distinctive feature is its unusually large ears, which also serve to dissipate heat. The smallest of all canids, fennec foxes sport extraordinarily large ears that help them hunt at night. It mainly eats insects, small mammals, and birds. [5], The fennec foy has 32 chromosome pairs, while other fox species have between 35 and 39. Find resources to engage learners in grades preK-12 with science, the natural world, wildlife and conservation. Omissions? The fennec fox weighs about 0.68 kg to 1.6 kg (roughly 1.5 to 3.5 pounds) with a body length of about 20-40 cm (8 to 16 inches).

You can help us by donating to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s Emergency Fund today. Perhaps their most notable characteristic is their ears, which can grow to between 4 to 6 inches (10.2 to 15.2 centimeters) in length. Corrections? Nocturnal animals, fennec foxes will hide out in burrows during daylight to avoid the hottest portion of the day. The smallest of all canids, fennec foxes are 14 to 16 inches (35.6 to 40.6 centimeters) long, with an additional 7 to 12 inches (18 to 30 centimeters) of tail. [7], The fennec fox is the smallest canid. The fennec fox is classified a "small wild/exotic canid" by the United States Department of Agriculture. [7], The fennec fox is an omnivore, feeding on small rodents, lizards, geckos, skinks, small birds and their eggs, fruits and also some tubers. Fennec foxes are also capable of going for long periods without consuming water; they are able to hydrate through the food they consume. [7], African horned owl species likely prey on fennec fox pups. Two young Fennec Fox - notice their long long ears.

Sonar, a teal fennec fox in the long-running Archie Comics series Sonic the Hedgehog. Their undersides are pure white, and their tails are bushy with black tips. The fennec fox, also known as the desert fox, is a petite animal that's native to the Sahara desert and other parts of North Africa.

She was leader of trio gangs (a vulture and hyena) who had a rivalry with titular character. But according to nomads, the fennec fox is fast and changes directions so that even their Salukis are hardly able to capture it. [17], The oldest captive male fennec fox was 14 years old, and the oldest female 13 years. The pups are weaned at the age of 61 to 70 days. Its tapering tail has a black tip. Avoid buying products made from animals, which could support poaching and the illegal wildlife trade. They have the largest ears relative to their body size of any member of the canid family, which they use to dispel heat and track down prey underneath the sand. Also, its hearing is sensitive to hear prey moving underground. Fennec, (Fennecus zerda), desert-dwelling fox, family Canidae, found in north Africa and the Sinai and Arabian peninsulas. Its main predators are the Verreaux's eagle-owl, jackals, and other large mammals. Females range in head-to-body size from 34.5 to 39.5 cm (13.6 to 15.6 in) with a 23–25 cm (9.1–9.8 in) long tail and 9–9.5 cm (3.5–3.7 in) long ears, and weigh 1–1.9 kg (2.2–4.2 lb). [2], Canis (zerda) was the scientific name proposed by Eberhard August Wilhelm von Zimmermann in 1780. Males are slightly larger, ranging in head-to-body size from 39 to 39.5 cm (15.4 to 15.6 in) with a 23–25 cm (9.1–9.8 in) long tail and 10 cm (3.9 in) long ears, weighing at least 1.3 kg (2.9 lb).

[10], Captive fennec foxes reach sexual maturity at around nine months and mate between January and April.

They usually weigh between 2 and 3 pounds (0.9 to 1.4 kilograms). This endangered species is native to the desert areas of North Africa and the Arabian and Sinai peninsulas.….

We're excited to welcome you back to the Zoo, and we've made a few changes. Vocalizations among these foxes are common, and can manifest as whimpers, barks, shrieks, squeaks, growls, howls or chatters. Each baby comes with feeding supplies and a sample of food. Females will go into estrus for one to two days, and following copulation the gestation period lasts between 50 and 53 days. Heavily furred paws provide traction when running in the sand while also offering protection from the extreme heat of the terrain. They usually breed only once per year.