The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens is celebrating the birth of four fennec fox kits in the past six months. All four kits were born to fennec fox parents, Malika (mom) and Jelani (dad) at The Living Desert’s Desert Carnivore Conservation Center: a behind-the-scenes research, breeding, and conservation facility.

Stanley, a male kit, was born on April 8th, 2022. At the time, Malika was a first-time mom, and this was the first fennec fox birth at The Living Desert in eight years, since Jelani, Stanley's father, was born.

Safari Park Dvůr Králové in The Czech Republic has quadruplet female fennec fox kits! The first signs there were kits came July 11, but only by September were officials sure there were four of them. The mother gave birth to them and raised them deep in their burrow.

There are only a handful of zoos in Europe that have bred females over the past year, and Safari Park Dvůr Králové is the only one in the Czech Republic. Amazingly, this female gave birth twice in the last year. This litters’ one-year-old quadruplet siblings can also still be seen at the zoo!

Capron Park Zoo, in Attleboro, MA, excitedly announced the birth of three Fennec Fox kits!

Two females and one male were born on March 7 to five-year-old mom, Hannah, and two-year-old dad, Taz. According to Zoo staff, this the second litter for the parents.

The playful siblings are starting to venture out of the den and can be seen on exhibit with mom and dad.

Photo Credits: Dan DiBattista

The Fennec Fox or Fennec (Vulpes zerda) is a small nocturnal fox found in the Sahara of North Africa. Its most distinctive feature is its unusually large ears, which also serve to dissipate heat.

The Fennec is the smallest species of canid. Its coat, ears, and kidney functions have adapted to desert environments. Their large ears and sensitive hearing allow them to hear prey moving underground. Their diet consists mainly eats insects, small mammals, and birds.

The Fennec has a life span of up to 14 years in captivity. In the wild, their main predators are the African varieties of eagle owl. Families of Fennecs dig out dens in sand for habitation and protection, which can be as large as 120 m2 (1,292 sq. ft.) and join the neighboring dens.

Fennec Foxes are social and mate for life, with each pair (or family) controlling their own territory. Sexual maturity is reached at around nine months old. In the wild, mating usually occurs between January and February for litters born between March and April. However, in captivity most litters are born later, between March and July, although births can occur year round. The species usually breeds only once each year.

Gestation is usually between 50 and 52 days but may be longer in captivity. The typical litter is between one and four kits, with weaning taking place at around 61 to 70 days. When born, the kit's ears are folded over and its eyes are closed, with the eyes opening at around ten days and the ears lifting soon afterward.

More great pics, below the fold!

Taronga Zoo is celebrating a birth from the world’s smallest Fox species, with keepers monitoring the progress of a tiny Fennec Fox kit.

The curious little kit was born on December 3, but has just started to venture outside its nest box.

Photo Credit:  Paul Fahy

“The little one is beginning to spend a lot more time outdoors. We’re seeing it playing, rolling around on its back and chasing after mum and dad,” said keeper Deb Price.

Keepers have not yet named or confirmed the sex of the kit, which is the first Fennec Fox born at Taronga since 2013. The infant is the seventh for experienced parents Kebili and Zinder, who have successfully raised two previous litters.

“The parents are doing a fantastic job again, with Zinder proving to be a particularly attentive dad. We’ve seen him filling up his mouth with food and then racing back to deliver it to the kit,” said Deb.

Born with its eyes closed and famously gigantic ears folded over, the kit has gone from being completely reliant on its parents to learning how to forage for food on its own.

The kit weighed in at just over one pound this week and has begun to sample solid foods such as crickets, mealworms, and mice.  Adults weigh up to 3.5 pounds.

The smallest of all the world’s Foxes, the Fennec Fox has enormous batlike ears that can grow to more than six inches in length.  These oversized ears help the Foxes to dissipate heat and keep cool in the blazing desert sun of northern Africa.  They also have hairy feet that enable them to run on hot, loose sand and dig tunnels where they live and rear their kits.   At this time, the wild Fennec Fox population is stable.

Earlier in the month, Zoo Wroclaw happily announced a new litter of Fennec Fox kits. The Zoo was expecting only one, so when mom came out from her burrow with three kits following behind, you can guess keepers were excited!

The Zoo reports that the trio is doing well, and their antics have provided much entertainment. Wroclaw would like to use the announcement of this birth as an opportunity to remind people that, although they are popular in the exotic pet trade, Fennec Foxes should not be kept as pets. According to the Zoo, statistics show that "80% of Fennecs kept as pets die after only few months".

Photo Credits: Zoo Wroclaw

The Fennec Fox or Fennec (Vulpes zerda) is a small nocturnal fox found in the Sahara of North Africa. Its most distinctive feature is its unusually large ears, which also serve to dissipate heat.

The Fennec is the smallest species of canid. Its coat, ears, and kidney functions have adapted to desert environments. Their large ears and sensitive hearing allow them to hear prey moving underground. Their diet consists mainly eats insects, small mammals, and birds.

The Fennec has a life span of up to 14 years in captivity. In the wild, their main predators are the African varieties of eagle owl. Families of Fennecs dig out dens in sand for habitation and protection, which can be as large as 120 m2 (1,292 sq. ft.) and join the neighboring dens.

The Smithsonian's National Zoo welcomed two Fennec Fox kits to their Small Mammal House February 4! The male and female were born to seven-year old mother Daisy and two-year-old father Charlie.

At her previous Zoo, Daisy had little success raising her own babies. Because of her valued genetics, the National Zoo received the recommendation, from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Species Survival Plan, to breed Daisy with Charlie.

Prior to Daisy's pregnancy, Small Mammal House keepers teamed up with Zoo veterinarians and nutritionists to create a kit care plan. National Zoo staff anticipated having to hand-rear any new kits born to Daisy, so they began work on a nursery in the Small Mammal House. As soon as the babies were born, they were removed them from the exhibit and placed in the incubator to regulate and monitor their body temperature.

The National Zoo’s nutrition team developed a formula made of Esbilac (puppy milk replacer) and KMR (kitten milk replacer) to simulate the composition of a fox mother's milk. Initially, the kits were fed every two hours for their first ten days. As the kits grew stronger, feedings were reduced to every two hours (beginning at 6 a.m. and ending at midnight).

The six-week-old Fennec Fox kits now have names! The male has been dubbed Teddy (short for Theodore) and the female has been named Hokees (“my love” in Armenian). The kits are now transitioning to solid foods, including beef, vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potato, carrot, corn, beans, squash), fruits (apple, banana), wax worms, and kibble. Little Hokees appears to enjoy the addition of veggies to her diet.

Photo Credits: Smithsonian's National Zoo

Fans of the Fennec Fox siblings can keep up-to-date on their progress via the National Zoo's social media and web pages.

The Fennec Fox is a small nocturnal fox that is native to the Sahara of North Africa. It is the smallest species of canid in the world. Their coat, ears, and kidney functions have adapted to high-temperature, low-water, and desert environments.

The large ears are indeed indicative of heightened auditory abilities. Its hearing is sensitive enough to hear prey moving underground. The Fennec Fox eats mainly insects, small mammals and birds.

Fennec Foxes mate for life, with each pair, or family, controlling their own territory. The species usually breed only once each year. Following mating, the male is known to become very aggressive and protective of the female, providing her with food during her pregnancy and lactation periods. Gestation usually lasts between 50 to 52 days. The typical litter is between one and four kits, with weaning taking place at around 70 days. When born, the kit’s ears are folded over and its eyes are closed. The eyes open at around ten days old, and the ears lift soon afterwards. The captive lifespan of a Fennec Fox has been recorded at up to 14 years.

The Fennec Fox is classified as “Least Concern” on the IUCN Red List. Their fur is prized by the indigenous peoples of North Africa, and in many parts of the world, the animal is considered an exotic pet.

Just a few days ago, a new Fennec Fox kit ventured outside of the den for the first time at Zoo Wroclaw in Poland! 

The kit was born some time in early June, but keepers aren't sure exactly when, since the kit has stayed inside the den with mom, Tina, until now. 

Photo credits: Zoo Wroclaw

The kit is so tiny that he or she could fit in your hand- but Tina definitely wouldn't allow that! So far, zoo keepers have been hands-off, and Tina seems to be doing a great job protecting and nursing her new baby.

Fennec Foxes range from northern Africa to northern Sinai, and are specially adapted to survive harsh desert conditions. The enormous bat-like ears of adult Fennec Foxes provide more than excellent hearing ability: the blood vessels in the ears easily lose heat to the air, helping the foxes to regulate body temperature. Fennec Foxes live in social groups in underground burrows, and are mostly nocturnal, staying out of the hot sun.

Fennec Foxes are very widespread, and are considered a species of Least Concern on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species. However, they can be difficult to find and study, so it difficult to assess their population numbers in the wild. 

On Monday, March 30^th, we started off your week with the undeniably adorable Fennec Fox kits, at Happy Hollow Park & Zoo!

The quad is back, to help round out the week, with images from their latest photo-op! As you can see, they are getting stronger and growing fast…ears and all!

The two boys and two girls were born, in January, to mom, ‘Safar’, and dad, ‘Clyde’.  Unfortunately, their mom’s previous offspring did not survive. Zoo keepers decided to hand-rear the recent litter, in an effort to increase their chances of survival. When the kits are strong enough, keepers anticipate being able to reintroduce them to their parents. 

Photo Credits: Happy Hollow Park & Zoo

Happy Hollow Park & Zoo, in San Jose, California, is proud to share the birth of four Fennec Fox kits!

Photo Credits: Happy Hollow Park & Zoo

The quad was born on January 23, and they recently made their social media debut. The two males and two females are being hand raised by keepers at the Zoo and will soon make their zoo exhibit debut.

The Fennec Fox is a small nocturnal fox that is native to the Sahara of North Africa. It is the smallest species of canid in the world. Their coat, ears, and kidney functions have adapted to high-temperature, low-water, and desert environments.

The large ears are indeed indicative of heightened auditory abilities. Its hearing is sensitive enough to hear prey moving underground. The Fennec Fox eats mainly insects, small mammals and birds.

Fennec Foxes mate for life, with each pair, or family, controlling their own territory. The species usually breed only once each year. Following mating, the male is known to become very aggressive and protective of the female, providing her with food during her pregnancy and lactation periods. Gestation usually lasts between 50 to 52 days. The typical litter is between one and four kits, with weaning taking place at around 70 days. When born, the kit’s ears are folded over and its eyes are closed. The eyes open at around ten days old, and the ears lift soon afterwards. The captive lifespan of a Fennec Fox has been recorded at up to 14 years.

A Fennec Fox couple, at the Chattanooga Zoo, are proud parents to two new kits! The boy and girl were welcomed, January 23^rd, by first time mother, ‘Sophie’, and father, ‘Barkley’. 

Photo Credits: Chattanooga Zoo

The yet-to-be-named kits, and their mother, are in perfect health and adjusting very well. The duo recently made their public debut and can now be seen, on exhibit, with their parents, at the Zoo.

Father of the kits, Barkley, was paired with Sophie through the Species Survival Plan (SSP) program, as a recommended breeding pair. Barkley arrived at the Chattanooga Zoo from the St. Louis Zoo in October 2014. The genetics that Sophie and Barkley hold are rare and highly valuable in the Zoo’s breeding pool. The breeding pair quickly became fond of each other, and they are now considered an SSP success story.

More awesome pics, below the fold!