FENNEC FOXBy Kami Cole

CLASSIFICATION

Kingdom: animilia Phylum: chordate Class: mammaliaOrder: carnivore Family: canidae Genus: fennecus Species: zerda

Related to: Cape fox (grey, pretty big ears), and Blanford’s fox (tiny, huge ears)

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Length: head/body= 13-16” tail= 6.6-12” Weight: 2-3 lbs. Coat: dense, long, reddish brown fur Ears: 20% of total surface area Tail: thick, bushy Paws: furred pads, broad

DISTRIBUTIONFound in deserts of Northern Africa and the Middle East From Morocco to Sahara Desert All the way to the Middle East as far as Arabian Desert

HABITATDeserts in Northern Africa Light fine sand Sahara desert, and Arabian Desert Ranges over 2.2 million square miles Not common any where Spends days in den to escape heat of desert Summer shade temperatures 129 degrees Sun up 11hrs a day No rain for several years

CONSERVATION STATUSOf least concern Not common any where but is wide spread Hunted and kept as pets by humans Population decreasing Rare in parts of its range Protected by CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna)

REPRODUCTIONStarts reproducing at about 1 year Pregnant for 51 days Has 1 to 5 pups Reproduces in January and February

PARENTAL CARE Pups drink milkAfter two weeks eyes open Start eating solid food after three weeks Father helps take care of cubs Fully weaned at eight weeks Stay with parents for nine months Mother teaches them how to hunt Mother takes them to safety when predators near

LONGEVITY AND MORALITY Lives 10 years in captivity Lives about eight in wild No large difference between male and female

SEASONAL PATTERNSNo behavioral changes for seasons Doesn’t migrate Doesn’t hibernate Doesn’t undergo torpor

DIET

Starts hunting at dusk Eats almost any small desert creature Usually eats insects, rodents, lizards, eggs, birds, and fruits Uses ears to pinpoint where rodents may be hiding Mainly eats small rodents Sense of hearing is vital for hunting in the dark Moves very fast through desert eating up small desert animals

PREDATOR RELATIONSHIPSPredators are also nocturnal Predators: hyena, large birds, humans Humans are main threat Animal predators are not large threat

HUMAN RELATIONSHIPSHunted for fur Kept as pets Treated like a mix between a cat and dog Humans are their main threat Killed for meat by desert people

FUN FACTSFennec fox is the only one in its genus

Digs so fast, looks like it’s sinking

Breathes up to 700 breaths a minute

WORKS CITED Works Cited

A-Z Animals- Animals. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2013. <http://a-z-animals.com/animals/fennec-

fox/>.

"Fennec Fox." Wildlife Explorer: 30. Print.

Ganeri, Anita. A Day in the Life: Desert Animals Fennec Fox. Chicago: Heinemann Library,

2011. Print. A Day in the Life.

Laukel, Hans Gerold. The Desert Fox Family Book. Trans. Rosemary Lanning. New York:

Michael Neugebauer, 1996. Print.

National Geographic. National Geographic Society, n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2013.

<http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/fennec-fox/>.

Red List. Canid Specialist Group, n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2013.

<http://www.canids.org/species/vulpes_zerda.htm>.

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