Fennec fox

Scientific name: Vulpes Zerda 

The Fennec fox is the smallest fox in the whole entire world! They are about 9-16 inches long and their fluffy tail is 7-12 inches long. They are about the size of a small cat. They weigh around two pounds. So, yeah, they are pretty small. Their ears, on the other hand, are SIX inches long! These huge ears help with hearing their food when they scurry away. 

They usually just eat plants that grow around them. When they can't find the plants they rely on insects, lizards, eggs, small mammals, and rodents. Like other mammals that live in a hot desert, Fennec foxes are able to go very long periods without water. 

Although their ears won't really help them find plants. They ARE a very good way to find everything else that they eat.

Finding food isn't the only thing their ears help with. They also help ventilate when it is hot outside. They do live in the Sahara desert so without these ears they would get very hot. 

At night when they are awake the weather drops a whole lot. Their ears won't help them any more. But, luckily they have something that will help them with cold weather too! Their fluffy tail. When they get cold they wrap their tail around their body like a blanket. This will warm them up quickly. When they are warm enough they go and search for food. 

Fennec foxes are cream colored with black-tipped tails. They have a very short snout and above that they have round black-brown eyes. Their most distinctive feature is their six inch ears. When people see this feature they will know what animal they are looking at right away. 

Unfortunately they get hunted and trapped to be sold as pets in northern Africa. They are also hunted for their fur coats. Another threat to them are wild dogs. The dogs eat and kill them for a nice treat when and if they are that hungry. 

Here is my drawing of the cute little fellas:

Also here is a cute video of a owner giving her Fennec foxes a bath!

So cute!!

Thanks everyone,

Coco