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ZooNooz Article - december 2004
What big ears
you have!
Large ears are just one of the many ways Fennec Foxes
adapt to the harsh desert environment. MAGGIE CRUTCHER
reports. Photograph
Photograph Jeff Grant.
Illustration Glenda Jones
No, those big ears don't belong to
the wolf in Grandma's bed. We're
referring to a little fox, the Fennec
Fox, found in the deserts and semiarid
regions of Northern Africa.
The kits continue to suckle from mum for a month or so before starting to eat the prey their parents bring home.
Diminutive in size (standing just
20cm high) but with the largest ears
relative to body size of all the foxes,
one might be tempted to exclaim in
turn, "All the better to hear you with,
my dear!", but whilst Fennec Foxes
do have acute hearing, the main
function of those 15cm-long ears is to
dissipate heat from the body - a sort
of inbuilt radiator.
Fennec
Fox |
Other adaptations include thick
insulating fur between the pads of
the feet which enables the fox to
dance daintily over the hot desert
sands, and a light, sandy-coloured fur
coat which acts as a heat reflector
and also blends beautifully with
the desert surrounds. An animal
with a woolly coat may seem a
bit incongruous in the middle of a
desert. However, desert nights can
be bitterly cold and for a nocturnal
hunter like the Fennec Fox, having
your own overcoat would definitely
be a bonus!
Parents and offspring may
den together, usually burrowed under rock piles or brush roots. An
extensive tunnel system, with several
entrances, not only provides shelter
from the weather but also protection
from predators. Fennec Foxes usually
mate for life and have one litter per
year following a 50-day pregnancy.
Between two and five babies (called
kits) are born, blind and helpless,
their eyes not opening until they are
approximately two weeks old.
When hunting, Fennec Foxes often use the 'stalk-spring-pounce' method common to Red Foxes.
The kits continue to suckle from
mum for a month or so before starting
to eat the prey their parents bring
home. At this stage the youngsters
can get quite pushy when they beg
for food and it's not unusual for the
parents to return the favour, even
giving the unruly youngsters a nip
or two! Once the kits have reached
sexual maturity, the whole clan
disperses as the food base usually has
been well and truly depleted.
Fennec Foxes' survival in the
harsh desert environment is aided
by their ability to go for long periods
without water, obtaining moisture from
the food they eat. A diet of beetles
and locusts, small rodents, lizards and
occasionally birds is supplemented
by plant material such as berries and
succulent leaves, whenever these are
available, and they will even cache
food for future use.
When hunting, Fennec Foxes
often use the 'stalk-spring-pounce'
method common to Red Foxes. From
a standing start, they are able to leap
straight up, as high as 60cms, and
horizontally, as much as 120cms, an
agility that is useful in both catching
prey and evading predators. Even the
babies have been observed bouncing
around in play like fluffy little balls.
Although the status of Fennec
Foxes is listed officially as 'Data
Deficient', meaning not enough is
known about their numbers in the wild,
they are extensively hunted in some
parts of their range, and are considered
'vulnerable' at the very least.
Taronga Zoo has two Fennec Foxes, Tokar and Emmy, born in the USA in 1996 and 1995 respectively. They are a breeding
pair, having successfully raised two litters in the past, but unfortunately they have failed to produce since 1999 even though
they continue to mate every breeding season. Emmy, whilst still a very 'foxy' lady, is nearing the end of her reproductive years
(captivity life span averages 10-12 years) and is suffering from arthritis.
Fennec Fox (Photograph Helen Pantenburg) |
Tokar and Emmy receive four meals a day. The morning feed is either a meat or egg meal, using different types of meat
such as chicks or mice. Lunch is a combination of mixed fruit and vegies mixed with fly pupae, while mid-afternoon is usually
mealworms and dog kibble, the latter helping to keep their teeth clean. Late afternoon they are fed live insects such as crickets
and cockroaches which are let loose in the enclosure, providing the opportunity for the foxes to go on a hunt for their prey.
Extra enrichment is added to their day with fresh herbs, spices and essential oils, and they are also given small toys to play
with. Anything which they can taste, eat, play with or dig up makes for a
couple of happy little foxes!
Both Emmy and Tokar had their annual check-up in July, under
anaesthetic. Emmy was given blood tests, vaccinations and anti-inflammatories
for her arthritis, and declared in otherwise good health.
Tokar was found to have gingivitis (gum disease), with both bad
teeth and bad breath. He subsequently had two molars removed and
his teeth cleaned. He, too, was given a full blood test and vaccinations,
plus antibiotics to treat the gum infection. A follow-up check in August,
however, gave him the all clear.
Emmy was hand-reared, so she has no fear of the keepers and can
become a bit aggressive when she comes into season. One of the things
that sets her off, says keeper, Louise Ginman, is the sound of raking. She
absolutely hates it and will rush at the rake and attack it, much to the
amusement of all. The sight of this diminutive animal trying to 'kill' the
rake is quite a spectacle. Should Emmy become too upset, however, both
the keeper and the rake will depart from the enclosure, allowing the rake to
live to fight another day!
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