Fennec Fox

Fireball Fennec Fox at San Diego Zoo

SanDiegoFennecFox_4

The Children’s Zoo exhibit, of San Diego Zoo, has a dynamic new inhabitant, a three-month-old Fennec Fox cub!

SanDiegoFennecFox_1

SanDiegoFennecFox_2

SanDiegoFennecFox_3Photo Credits: Ion Moe (Photos 1,3,5); Deric Wagner (Photos 2,3)

 

The new ball of energy weighs just less than 2 pounds. He will remain in quarantine for a while, but will soon begin training for his new position as Animal Ambassador for his species at the San Diego Zoo. 

Animal Ambassadors serve an important role at the zoo. Their job is to help educate guests, especially children, by allowing them to get up close and learn even more about animals they wouldn’t normally have an opportunity with which to interact. This kind of intimate education encourages a vital interest and concern for species preservation.

Native to the Sahara of North Africa, the Fennec Fox is the smallest species of canid in the world. They are currently classified as “Least Concern” on the IUCN Red List.

Continue reading "Fireball Fennec Fox at San Diego Zoo" »


Fennec Fox Digs Tunnel of Love

Fennec fox_tel aviv_5

For over 15 years, the keepers at the Zoological Center Tel Aviv-Ramat Gan, have eagerly hoped for zoo babies in their Fennec Fox enclosure.  Their patience has been rewarded, and they are excited to announce the birth of two new Fennec Fox cubs!

Fennec fox_tel aviv_3

Fennec fox_tel aviv_2

Fennec fox_tel aviv_1

Fennec fox_tel aviv_4Photo Credits: Tibor Jager

Four-year-old “Penny” and her mate, “Louis de Fennec”, also four-years-old, are the proud parents of the cubs.  Zookeepers observed the pair during their mating rituals and waited for the 50 day gestation period to occur.

During the gestation period, Penny and Louis spent their time digging burrows and tunnels, preparing a home for their growing family.  As the days passed, Penny became more and more aggressive, and all passersby were greeted by a chorus of thunderous barking. 

Finally, the much anticipated day arrived, and two tiny Fennec Fox cubs were born at the Safari Ramat Gan enclosure.  Penny hurried to hide the new babies in the burrows and in large pitchers that were purposefully placed in the enclosure by keepers.

Until recently, the Fennec Fox enclosure’s outer fence was covered with cloth to allow the young mother to feed her babies and bond with them in peace.  At present, keepers are gradually removing the covers and allowing Penny and her cubs to grow accustomed to the Safari’s visitors.

Native to North Africa, the Fennec Fox is also found in Asia.  They are currently not endangered and are listed “Least Concern” on the IUCN Red List


More Fennec Foxes For Your Friday?

IMG_0299

We figured no one would complain if we shared additional photos of Chattanooga Zoo's Fennec Fox kits, so here goes! Here is the pair when they were a bit younger, and getting into all kinds of mischief!

Babypumpkin

Babypumpkin2

IMG_0314

Did you know that the Fennec Fox is ZooBorns' unofficial mascot? The Fennec Fox graces the cover of our original all ages book, ZooBorns (below). Take a tour of the book on Amazon and get it in time for the holidays. With interesting animal facts and background stories on the featured babies, ZooBorns (Hardcover, 160 pages) illustrates the connections between zoo births and conservation initiatives in the wild. 10% of revenue from ZooBorns' book sales goes directly to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Conservation Endowment Fund.

DSC_2815v2

Get it now on Amazon!


Fennec Fox Sisters are Animal Ambassadors at Chattanooga Zoo

1 fennec fox

Two Fennec Fox sisters were born at Chattanooga Zoo in Tennessee! They have just been named Zahari, meaning blue in Arabic, and Zeiti, meaning green in Arabic. (To tell the sisters apart, they were each given a small spot of food coloring either blue or green on their backs.)

They were born on September 11, 2013 to first-time parents, mother Karoo and father Kalahari. The kits are incredibly active and are growing bigger by the day. They are very curious and playful and love to investigate new toys, sounds, and smells. When full grown, they will join the zoo’s animal ambassador and education programs, where they will play an important role in raising awareness about wildlife conservation.

2 fennec fox

3 fennec fox

4 fennec fox

5 fennec fox

6 fennec foxPhoto credits: Chattanooga Zoo

Fennec Foxes (a ZooBorns favorite!) live in the deserts and semi-arid lands of northern Africa. Also called the Desert Fox, their most notable feature are their ears, which are enormous in proportion to their body size. An adult Fennec Fox measures about 16 inches (40 cm) in body length and has ears six inches (15 cm) long. These huge ears are used for cooling the body of excess heat and for locating prey, such as lizards, insects, and eggs, buried deep under the desert sand. Fennec Foxes are a species of Least Concern on the International Union for Conservation's Red List of Threatened Species. 


Fennec Foxes are a ZooBorns Hit

Fennec fox

Time for a ZooBorns classic: Fennec Foxes! These little newborns were recently photographed at Everland Zoo in Seoul, Korea, by zoo photographer In Cheryl Kim. Last year, we crunched the numbers and found that a Fennec Fox photo by In Cheryl Kim was the number one cutest picture featured on our website, single-handedly bringing 500,000 new visitors to the ZooBorns website. (See those top 25 photos here.) The Fennec Fox has since become our mascot. To browse through our previous Fennec Fox posts— they are truly adorable—click here.

Fennec Foxes are endemic to the Sahara Desert, where their big ears let them detect insects dancing across the sand at night and fur lined paws protect them from scorching hot sand during the day. They are the smallest species of canid in the world. And there's good news: the International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the Fenne Fox as a species of Least Concern, meaning that they are common throughout their range and don't seem to be declining. 

Fennec fox

fennec fox

Fennec foxPhoto credits: In Cheryl Kim / Everland Zoo


Shy Fennec Fox Kits Emerge at Artis Zoo

Fennec foxes 1

Caretakers at Artis Zoo in Amsterdam are keeping an eye out for kits in their Fennec Fox exhibit. The mother has quietly given birth to at least two male kits since July 2nd, but it still isn't clear exactly how many have been born. Every now and then, caretakers have caught a glimpse of some kits and heard little squeaks coming from behind stumps and other hiding places.



Fennec fox 4

 

 

Fennec foxes 2

 

Fennec foxes 3
Photo credits: Ronald van Weeren / Artis Zoo

Fennec Foxes live in the deserts and semi-arid lands of northern Africa. Also called the Desert Fox, their most notable feature are their ears, which are enormous in proportion to their body size. An adult Fennec Fox measures about 16 inches (40 cm) in body length and has ears six inches (15 cm) long. These huge ears are used for cooling the body of excess heat and for locating prey, such as lizards, insects, and eggs, buried deep under the desert sand. Fennec Foxes are a species of Least Concern on the International Union for Conservation's Red List of Threatened Species. 


Meet Little Moose, Rosamond Gifford Zoo's Newest Fennec Fox Kit

Fen director 1

County Executive Joanne M. Mahoney joined New York's Rosamond Gifford Zoo staff to introduce their newest Fennec Fox kit. Born on the afternoon of March 23 to parents Rhiona and Copper, he weighed approximately 40 grams (that's less than a hard-boiled egg). Regardless of his diminutive size, he was named Moose! Today, at just about two months old, he's half-grown at 455 grams. Mahoney said, “It’s great to see yet another testament of the zoo staffs’ dedication to furthering animal conservation and protecting endangered species.”

Ted Fox, Curator and Zoo Director siad, “Fennec Fox parents are very cautious and elusive during the kit rearing process. Due to their acute hearing and sensitivity, reproduction of Fennec Foxes in a zoological setting is a challenge. Hand-raising this kit will habituate him to close contact with humans, helping him to become a confident and well-adjusted adult.”

FEN nurse

Fen port

Photo Credit: Photos 1,2: Rosamond Gifford Zoo, Photo 3: CNY News

Fennec Foxes are found throughout the deserts of North Africa and the Sinai and Arabian peninsulas. One of the smallest of canines, Fennec Foxes are well built for their natural habitat. Their nocturnal habits help them survive in the searing heat of the desert environment, and some physical adaptations help, as well. Their distinctive bat-like ears act like natural air conditioners, radiating heat away from their bodies, and allowing them to hear the movements of predators and prey over long distances. They have long, thick hair that insulates them during cold nights and protects them from the hot sun during the day. Even the bottoms of their feet are hairy, which acts as a barrier against the extremely hot sand in their native desert environment.

Read More after the fold:

Continue reading "Meet Little Moose, Rosamond Gifford Zoo's Newest Fennec Fox Kit" »


New Bloodline of Fennec Foxes Born at Taronga Zoo

Fox CU

Australia's Taronga Zoo welcomed three Fennec Fox infants, the first to be born to a new breeding pair from Europe. The kits, which are just starting to emerge from their nest box, were born on December 19, 2012, a year after the zoo introduced their parents, Zinder and Kibali, a new breeding couple from Europe.

Carnivore Keeper Tamara Bell said, “Any new arrival is special, but what makes these Fennec kits even more important is that they’re the first offspring born to Zinder, the male who came from Germany, and Kebilli, the female from Poland. This means that these kits are not related to any of the Fennec Foxes here in Australia.” 

Fox 2

Fox and mom 1
Photo Credit: Rick Stevens

Aside from expanding the genetics in the Australasian region, the young Fennec Foxes have also provided a boost to the captive population of the species, which dropped to only six throughout Australia prior to 2010.

Fennec Foxes are the smallest of the canines, growing up to only 16 inches (40 cm) and weighing up to 3.3 pounds (1.5 kg's). Their distinct feature is their large ears that dissipate body heat and keep them cool. Commonly found in the deserts of Sahara and North Africa, Fennec Foxes are burrowing animals that dig tunnels as deep as 15 feet (4.5 m), where their kits are reared.  

Read more about the kits, and see more pictures, after the fold:

Continue reading "New Bloodline of Fennec Foxes Born at Taronga Zoo" »


Meet Rosamond Gifford Zoo's First Baby Fennec Foxes in 21 Years!

426790_10150877524296573_1907799696_n

Syracuse, New York's Rosamond Gifford Zoo announced today the first birth of Fennec Fox kits in 21 years. The birth is a great breeding success for a species which is notoriously difficult to reproduce. Fennec Foxes are found throughout the deserts of North Africa and the Sinai and Arabian peninsulas. Their nocturnal habits help them survive in the searing heat of the desert environment, and some physical adaptations help, as well.

Their large ears not only help them locate insects, but they also help them to dissipate the harsh desert heat. Long, bushy tails serve as built in scarves which Fennecs wrap around their noses to keep warm when temperatures drop at night.

523958_10150877524551573_127101123_n

Fennec-Foxes-at-R-G-Zoo-1

Fennec-Foxes-at-R-G-Zoo-4
Photo credit: Amelia Beamish, taken at Rosamond Gifford Zoo

Fennec Foxes are part of a Species Survival Plan (SSP) - a collaborative effort between the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and zoos around the world to help ensure their survival.

See many more pictures and learn more beneath the fold...

Continue reading "Meet Rosamond Gifford Zoo's First Baby Fennec Foxes in 21 Years!" »


Florida's Fennec Fox Count Forges Ahead by Five

Palm_Beach_Zoo_Fennec-Fox-5

Palm Beach Zoo's newest arrivals are 5 Fennec Fox kits. The kits are approximately 7 weeks old, though their exact age isn't known, since they were safely tucked away in an underground burrow until earlier this month when they began to venture out to meet their adoring public.

Fennec Foxes are one of the smallest fox species. Large ears allow the Fennec to hear the movements of its enemies and prey over long distances, which is very important for a desert animal. It can even hear its prey moving underground. Fennec Foxes can be found throughout the deserts of North Africa and the Sinai and Arabian Peninsulas. Fennecs avoid the worst heat of the desert by living in burrows during the day and emerging only in the cool of the night. They dig their burrows at the base of small hills or in other places where moisture is likely to be retained for long periods of time. Despite the desert's lifeless appearance, there are in fact a large number of animal species available for the Fennec to feed on. Scorpions, spiders and beetles make up the majority of the Fennec's diet in the wild.

Palm_Beach_Zoo_Fennec-Fox-4

Palm_Beach_Zoo_Fennec-Fox-1

Palm_Beach_Zoo_Fennec-Fox-2

Palm_Beach_Zoo_Fennec-Fox-3

Palm_Beach_Zoo_Fennec-Fox-6
Photo credits: Palm Beach Zoo / Brett Bartek

 

The Palm Beach Zoo actively participates in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) for fennec foxes and has exhibited the species since 1995. Since then, the zoo has had nine successful births bringing the grand total of fennec foxes on zoo grounds to 13. Initiated in 1981 by the AZA, Species Survival Plans strive to manage chosen species and help maintain healthy, diverse populations that may become self‐sustaining in the future. SSPs also assist with field projects in home range areas, help educate the public, and provide funding for research and reintroduction of animals back into the wild, when appropriate.