Fennec

Fox
● World’s smallest canid
(member of the dog family
Canidae)
● Height: 20cm
● Weight: 1-1,5 kg
● Live in desert zones of
North Africa and Middle East
● Nocturnal animals (mostly
active during the night)
● Thick fur to protect them
from the sun and to keep
them warm at night
Other adaptations for life in a
desert:
● furry paws
● water retaining kidneys
● big ears?
Blood vessels located close to the skin in
the ears dissipate excess heat from the fox’s
body.
The ears also provide excellent hearing.
Fennec foxes live in dens.
The dens can be up to 120
square metres in size.
● lives in colonies up to 10 members
● the males = reynards
● the females = vixens
● offspring = kits
● they usually mate for life
● a litter usually consists of 1 to 4 kits
● omnivore
● small rodents, snakes, rabbits, birds,
lizards and insects
● eggs, roots, leaves and fruit
● typically hunts alone
● captures its prey by pouncing on it
Fennec’s main predators:
eagle owl and humans
● killed by cars
● hunted for their fur
Fennec as a pet?
● behave like active, playful
little dogs
● animals with wild instincts
● $1,500 to $3,500
● Lifespan: in captivity up to
14 years, in wild around 10
years
● they purr like a cat when
they are happy
Thank you for your
attention