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| Fennec fox | ||||||||||||||
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| Conservation status | ||||||||||||||
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Data deficient | ||||||||||||||
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| Vulpes zerda (Zimmermann, 1780) | ||||||||||||||
 Fennec fox range | ||||||||||||||
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Fennecus zerda Zimmermann, 1780 |
The fennec fox is a small fox found in the Sahara Desert of North Africa (excluding the coast) and in some parts of Arabia, which has distinctive oversized ears. Although some authorities classify this as the only species of the genus Fennecus, it is shown here in the genus Vulpes. Its name is derived from an Arabic word for "fox". Fennecs are considered rare but not endangered.
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The fennec is the smallest of the Canidae, weighing up to only 3.3 pounds (1.5 kg). It is 8 inches (20 cm) tall at the shoulder, with a body length of up to 16 inches (40 cm). The tail is an additional 10 inches (25 cm) or so, and the ears can be 6 inches (15 cm) long. The coats are often a sandy color, allowing them to blend with their desert surroundings.
Its characteristic ears, which are the largest in the canid family, serve to dissipate heat and to hear the movement of prey at night. Their ears are sensitive enough to hear large insects, such as beetles and locusts, walk on the sand. Their coat can repel sunlight during the day and conserve heat at night. The soles of their feet are protected from the hot sand by thick fur.
The fennec is a nocturnal omnivore. At night, it hunts rodents, insects (such as locusts), lizards such as sandfish, birds, and eggs of birds and insects. Much of the diet is desert vegetation, from which the fennec gets most of its water. This consists of grasses, some roots, and some fruit and berries. Fennecs can survive extremely long without drinking water, sometimes years, but drink when water is available.
A fennec in the White Desert of Egypt
Fennecs live in large dens (extending up to 10 meters or 33 ft), often with several foxes. They are the only pack-oriented breed of fox. Packs are called harems and consist of one alpha male, \'tod\', many female \'vixen\', and sometimes some subordinate \'omega\' males to help protect the harem. Other males are evicted from the den as soon as they mature, unless they defeat the tod and evict him instead. These battles are violent, but rarely deadly. Evicted males, or \'rogues\' wander the desert in search for other harems, where they attempt to displace the resident alpha by fighting, or a harem with space for another omega. Omegas are typically not allowed to breed during mating season. Vixens show that they are ready to mate by lying on top of their selected mate. Fennecs are not monogamous. An alpha has many vixens, while an omega typically only has one or none. Thus, as with lions and cheetahs, wild fennecs are prone to genetic diseases from inbreeding.
Breeding season is normally January through March. After about 52 days of gestation, a female gives birth to a litter of 2-5 young. She keeps males out of the den until the offspring are older. The young rely on their mother\'s milk for about a month. The mother may give birth once a year, although twice a year is very rare.
Fennecs are rare and are classified under CITES as an Appendix II species:[1] species not necessarily threatened with extinction, but whose trade must be controlled to avoid utilization incompatible with their survival.[2] They are often hunted by humans, though they do not cause any direct harm to human interests. Like other foxes, they are prized for their fur by the indigenous people of the Sahara and Sinai.
There is debate among scientists as to whether fennecs belong to the genus Vulpes (true foxes). They have uncharacteristic behaviors, such as packs called \'harems\' while all other foxes are solitary. They also have 32 chromosome pairs, while other foxes have 35 to 39. This has led to two conflicting classifications: Vulpes zerda implying that fennecs are true foxes, and Fennecus zerda, implying that fennecs belong to their own genus.
Pet fennec scratching a big ear.
The fennec is considered the only species of fox which can properly be kept as a pet. Although it cannot be considered domesticated, they can be kept in a domestic setting similar to dogs or cats. In the United States there is a relatively established community of fennec owners and breeders.
A pet fennec explores the couch.
Pet fennecs, being the most social among foxes, are usually very friendly towards strangers and other household pets. But they are extremely active, and need outlets for their energy; they may exhaust other household pets with their playfulness. Moreover, instinctual behaviors, such as hiding caches of food in case of famine and attempting to burrow into furniture to build a nest, can also add to the difficulty of their care. Fennecs are often not able to be housebroken, although a few owners have reported being able to litter-train their fennecs.
Several factors make it important to ensure that they do not escape. Their speed and agility (they can jump four times their own body length), along with their natural chase instinct, creates the risk of a fennec slipping its harness or collar. Since they are also adept diggers (they can dig up to 20 feet a night in their natural environment), outdoor pens and fences must be extended several feet below ground. Escaped fennec foxes are extremely difficult to recapture.
Any diet in a domestic setting should reflect their diet in the wild. Though omnivorous, the vast majority of their diet consists of meat and protein sources like insects. Food sources commonly used include high quality meat-rich dog food, wild canine food brands, cat food, raw meats, insects, mealworms and custom dietary mixtures.
The legality of owning a fennec varies by jurisdiction, as with many exotic pets. Also, being considered an exotic animal, not all veterinarians will treat them, so it is important to find one who will provide vaccinations and any necessary medical care.
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