A noticable feature is their large ears. The ears are wide to help with thermoregulation due to their environment. They have brown fur and tend to have darker patches on the face, tail and legs. It is 55 cm long and their ears are 13 cm long.
Currently, there are two seperate sub-species of bat eared fox. One covers areas of Africa such as Ethiopia and south Sudan, while the other covers Zambia and Angola. They live in the grasslands and arid locations. They have short fur to help keep themselves cool.
Like many animals in arid regions, they are insectivores who eat termites. However, they also eat things such as scorpions and grasshoppers.
Bat eared foxes have a interesting reproductive and parenting structure. They are generally monogomous, with exceptions being seen in some populations. The gestation period is 60-70 days with litters consisting of 1-6 kits. Males take on a keen parental role rather than the mothers which is what makes them so interesting. Mothers will lactate for up to 15 weeks, then the father will take over most parenting duties. There have been studies that show a positive correlation between fathers being around and kit survival rates.
Luckily they are considered to be least concern with minimal threats from humans and other animals.
I hope you have enjoyed learning about these cute foxes. See you next time!
-Dari
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