Fennec fox: Difference between revisions

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| status=LC
| status=LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name=iucn>{{cite iucn |title=''Vulpes zerda'' |name-list-style=amp |author=Wacher, T. |author2=Bauman, K. |author3=Cuzin, F. |date=2015 |page=e.T41588A46173447 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T41588A46173447.en |access-date=19 November 2021}}</ref>
| status_ref = <ref name=iucn>{{cite iucn |title=''Vulpes zerda'' |name-list-style=amp |author=Wacher, T. |author2=Bauman, K. |author3=Cuzin, F. |date=2015 |article-number=e.T41588A46173447 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T41588A46173447.en |access-date=19 November 2021}}</ref>
| status2 = CITES_A2
| status2 = CITES_A2
| status2_system = CITES
| status2_system = CITES
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| species = zerda
| species = zerda
| authority = ([[Eberhard August Wilhelm von Zimmermann|Zimmermann]], 1780)
| authority = ([[Eberhard August Wilhelm von Zimmermann|Zimmermann]], 1780)
| display_parents = 5
| range_map = Vulpes zerda.svg
| range_map = Vulpes zerda.svg
| range_map_caption = Range of the ''Fennec fox'' {{leftlegend|#e3b85d|Extant (resident)}}
| range_map_caption = Range of the ''Fennec fox'' {{leftlegend|#e3b85d|Extant (resident)}}
| synonyms  = {{Species list
| synonyms  = {{Species list
| Canis zerda |[[Eberhardt Zimmermann|Zimmermann]], 1780| Canis cerdo |[[Johann Friedrich Gmelin|Gmelin]], 1788|Viverra aurita|[[Friedrich Albrecht Anton Meyer|Meyer]], 1793|Fennecus arabicus|[[Anselme Gaëtan Desmarest|Desmarest]], 1804|Megalotis cerda|[[Johann Karl Wilhelm Illiger|Illiger]], 1811|Fennecus brucei|[[Anselme Gaëtan Desmarest|Desmarest]], 1820|Canis fennecus|[[René Lesson|Lesson]], 1827|Vulpes denhamii|[[Pierre Boitard|Boitard]], 1842|Vulpes zuarensis|[[John Edward Gray|J. E. Gray]], 1843}}
| Canis zerda |[[Eberhardt Zimmermann|Zimmermann]], 1780| Canis cerdo |[[Johann Friedrich Gmelin|Gmelin]], 1788|Viverra aurita|[[Friedrich Albrecht Anton Meyer|Meyer]], 1793|Fennecus arabicus|[[Anselme Gaëtan Desmarest|Desmarest]], 1804|Megalotis cerda|[[Johann Karl Wilhelm Illiger|Illiger]], 1811|Fennecus brucei|[[Anselme Gaëtan Desmarest|Desmarest]], 1820|Canis fennecus|[[René Lesson|Lesson]], 1827|Vulpes denhamii|[[Pierre Boitard|Boitard]], 1842|Vulpes zuarensis|[[John Edward Gray|J. E. Gray]], 1843}}
|synonyms_ref = <ref name="Lariviére2002"/>
| synonyms_ref = <ref name="Larivière-2002"/>
}}
}}
    
    
The '''fennec fox''' ('''''Vulpes zerda''''') is a small [[fox]] native to the [[desert]]s of [[North Africa]], ranging from [[Western Sahara]] and [[Mauritania]] to the [[Sinai Peninsula]]. Its most distinctive feature is its unusually large ears, which serve to dissipate heat and listen for underground prey. The fennec is the smallest fox species. Its coat, ears, and kidney functions have [[Xerocole|adapted]] to the desert environment with high temperatures and little water.
The '''fennec fox''' ('''''Vulpes zerda''''') is a small [[fox]] native to the [[desert]]s of [[North Africa]], ranging from [[Western Sahara]] and [[Mauritania]] to the [[Sinai Peninsula]]. Its most distinctive feature is its unusually large ears, which serve to dissipate heat and listen for underground prey. The fennec is the smallest fox species. Its coat, ears, and kidney functions have [[Xerocole|adapted]] to the desert environment with high temperatures and little water.


The fennec fox mainly eats [[insect]]s, small [[mammal]]s and [[bird]]s. It has a life span of up to 14 years in captivity and about 10 years in the wild. Pups are preyed upon by the [[Pharaoh eagle-owl]]; both adults and pups may possibly fall prey to [[jackal]]s and [[striped hyena]]s. Fennec families dig out [[burrow]]s in the sand for habitation and protection, which can be as large as {{cvt|120|sqm}} and adjoin the burrows of other families. Precise population figures are not known but are estimated from the frequency of sightings; these indicate that the fennec fox is currently not threatened by [[extinction]]. Knowledge of social interactions is limited to information gathered from captive animals. The fennec fox is commonly trapped for exhibition or sale in North Africa, and it is considered an [[exotic pet]] in some parts of the world.
The fennec fox mainly eats [[insect]]s, small [[mammal]]s and [[bird]]s. It has a life span of up to 14 years in captivity and about 10 years in the wild. Pups are preyed upon by the [[Pharaoh eagle-owl]]; both adults and pups may fall prey to [[jackal]]s and [[striped hyena]]s. Fennec families dig out [[burrow]]s in the sand for habitation and protection, which can be as large as {{cvt|120|sqm}} and adjoin the burrows of other families. Precise population figures are not known but are estimated from the frequency of sightings; these indicate that the fennec fox is currently not threatened by [[extinction]]. Knowledge of social interactions is limited to information gathered from captive animals. The fennec fox is commonly trapped for exhibition or sale in North Africa, and it is considered an [[exotic pet]] in some parts of the world.


== Taxonomy and phylogeny ==
== Taxonomy and phylogeny ==


The fennec fox was [[scientifically described]] as ''Canis zerda'' by [[Eberhard August Wilhelm von Zimmermann|Eberhardt Zimmermann]] in 1780.<ref>Zimmermann, E. A. W. 1780. ''Geographische Geschichte des Menschen, und der vierfussigen Thiere''. Weygandschen Buchhandlung, Leipzig, Germany 2:1-432.</ref><ref name=msw3>{{MSW3 Wozencraft|id=14000938}}</ref><ref name="Lariviére2002">{{cite journal |last=Larivière |first=Serge |date=2002-12-26 |title=''Vulpes zerda'' |url=https://academic.oup.com/mspecies/article/doi/10.1644/0.714.1/2600497 |journal=[[Mammalian Species]] |issue=714 |pages=1–5 |doi=10.1644/0.714.1|url-access=subscription }}</ref> In 1788, [[Johann Friedrich Gmelin]] gave the species the synonym of ''Canis cerdo'' with the [[Type locality (biology)|type locality]] being the [[Sahara Desert]].<ref>Gmelin, J. F. 1788. Revision of 'Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis synonymis, locis' by C. Linnaeus. G. E. Beir, Lipsiae, Germany 1:1-232.</ref> A few years later, [[Friedrich Albrecht Anton Meyer]] assigned the name ''Viverra aurita'' to the species in 1793;<ref>Meyer, F. A. A. 1793. Systematisch-summarische Uebersicht der
The fennec fox was [[scientifically described]] as ''Canis zerda'' by [[Eberhard August Wilhelm von Zimmermann|Eberhardt Zimmermann]] in 1780.<ref>Zimmermann, E. A. W. 1780. ''Geographische Geschichte des Menschen, und der vierfussigen Thiere''. Weygandschen Buchhandlung, Leipzig, Germany 2:1-432.</ref><ref name=msw3>{{MSW3 Wozencraft|id=14000938}}</ref><ref name="Larivière-2002">{{cite journal |last=Larivière |first=Serge |date=2002-12-26 |title=''Vulpes zerda'' |url=https://academic.oup.com/mspecies/article/doi/10.1644/0.714.1/2600497 |journal=[[Mammalian Species]] |issue=714 |pages=1–5 |doi=10.1644/0.714.1|url-access=subscription }}</ref> In 1788, [[Johann Friedrich Gmelin]] gave the species the synonym of ''Canis cerdo'' with the [[Type locality (biology)|type locality]] being the [[Sahara Desert]].<ref>Gmelin, J. F. 1788. Revision of 'Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis synonymis, locis' by C. Linnaeus. G. E. Beir, Lipsiae, Germany 1:1-232.</ref> A few years later, [[Friedrich Albrecht Anton Meyer]] assigned the name ''Viverra aurita'' to the species in 1793;<ref>Meyer, F. A. A. 1793. Systematisch-summarische Uebersicht der
neuesten zoologischen Entdeckungen in Neuholland und Africa. Zoologische Annelen (Weimar) 1:xxvi-412.</ref> the type locality was Algeria. Subsequent synonyms include ''Fennecus arabicus'' by [[Anselme Gaëtan Desmarest]] in 1804;<ref>Desmarest, A. G. 1804. Nouveau dictionnaire d'histoire naturelle, appliquee aux arts, principalement a l' agriculture et a l'economie rurale et domestique: par une societe de naturalistes et d' agriculteurs: avec des figures tirees des trois regnes de la nature. Deterville, Paris, France 24: 1-238</ref> ''Megalotis cerda'' by [[Johann Karl Wilhelm Illiger]] in 1811<ref>Illiger, J. K. W. 1811. Prodromus systematis mammalicim et avium. Sumptibus C. Salfeld, Berlin, Germany.</ref> which was based on earlier descriptions by Gmelin, and another synonym by Desmarest (''Fennecus brucei'') in 1820; the type locality was Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Sudan. In 1827, the species was given another synonym (''Canis fennecus'') by [[René Lesson]] whose work was largely based on the species scientific description in 1780.<ref>Lesson, R.-P. 1827. ''Manuel de mammalogie ou histoire naturelle des mammiferes''. Roret, Paris, France.</ref> In the 1840s, the species received synonyms by [[Pierre Boitard]] in 1842 (''Vulpes denhamii'')<ref>Boitard, M. 1842. Le jardin des plantes: description et moeurs des mammiferes de la menagerie et du museum d'histoire naturelle. J.-1. Dubochet, Paris, France.</ref> and [[John Edward Gray]] in 1843 (''Vulpes zuarensis'').<ref>Gray, J. E. 1843. List of the specimens of Mammalia in the collection of the British Museum. British Museum of Natural History, London.</ref> The type localities of these were "interior of Africa" and [[Egypt]], respectively. In 1978 Gordon Barclay Corbet renamed the species to ''Vulpes zerda'',<ref>Corbet, G. B. 1978. ''The mammals of the Palaearctic region, a taxonomic review''. British Museum of Natural History and Cornell University Press, London.</ref> its current [[scientific name]].<ref name="Lariviére2002"/> It was originally assigned to the genus ''[[Canis]]'', but following molecular analysis it was moved to ''[[Vulpes]]'' despite having some distinct morphological and behavioral traits.<ref name="COTW">{{cite book |last=Castelló |first=José R. |url=https://archive.org/details/canids-of-the-world-wolves-wild-dogs-foxes-jackals-coyotes-and-their-relatives-pdfdrive/page/205/mode/1up |title=Canids of the World: Wolves, Wild Dogs, Foxes, Jackals, Coyotes, and Their Relatives |date=2018-09-11 |publisher=[[Princeton University Press]] |isbn=978-0-691-17685-7 |pages=172, 205}}</ref>
neuesten zoologischen Entdeckungen in Neuholland und Africa. Zoologische Annelen (Weimar) 1:xxvi-412.</ref> the type locality was Algeria. Subsequent synonyms include ''Fennecus arabicus'' by [[Anselme Gaëtan Desmarest]] in 1804;<ref>Desmarest, A. G. 1804. Nouveau dictionnaire d'histoire naturelle, appliquee aux arts, principalement a l' agriculture et a l'economie rurale et domestique: par une societe de naturalistes et d' agriculteurs: avec des figures tirees des trois regnes de la nature. Deterville, Paris, France 24: 1-238</ref> ''Megalotis cerda'' by [[Johann Karl Wilhelm Illiger]] in 1811<ref>Illiger, J. K. W. 1811. Prodromus systematis mammalicim et avium. Sumptibus C. Salfeld, Berlin, Germany.</ref> which was based on earlier descriptions by Gmelin, and another synonym by Desmarest (''Fennecus brucei'') in 1820; the type locality was Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Sudan. In 1827, the species was given another synonym (''Canis fennecus'') by [[René Lesson]] whose work was largely based on the species scientific description in 1780.<ref>Lesson, R.-P. 1827. ''Manuel de mammalogie ou histoire naturelle des mammiferes''. Roret, Paris, France.</ref> In the 1840s, the species received synonyms by [[Pierre Boitard]] in 1842 (''Vulpes denhamii'')<ref>Boitard, M. 1842. Le jardin des plantes: description et moeurs des mammiferes de la menagerie et du museum d'histoire naturelle. J.-1. Dubochet, Paris, France.</ref> and [[John Edward Gray]] in 1843 (''Vulpes zuarensis'').<ref>Gray, J. E. 1843. List of the specimens of Mammalia in the collection of the British Museum. British Museum of Natural History, London.</ref> The type localities of these were "interior of Africa" and [[Egypt]], respectively. In 1978 Gordon Barclay Corbet renamed the species to ''Vulpes zerda'',<ref>Corbet, G. B. 1978. ''The mammals of the Palaearctic region, a taxonomic review''. British Museum of Natural History and Cornell University Press, London.</ref> its current [[scientific name]].<ref name="Larivière-2002"/> It was originally assigned to the genus ''[[Canis]]'', but following molecular analysis it was moved to ''[[Vulpes]]'' despite having some distinct morphological and behavioral traits.<ref name="COTW">{{cite book |last=Castelló |first=José R. |url=https://archive.org/details/canids-of-the-world-wolves-wild-dogs-foxes-jackals-coyotes-and-their-relatives-pdfdrive/page/205/mode/1up |title=Canids of the World: Wolves, Wild Dogs, Foxes, Jackals, Coyotes, and Their Relatives |date=2018-09-11 |publisher=[[Princeton University Press]] |isbn=978-0-691-17685-7 |pages=172, 205}}</ref>


According to DNA evidence, the closest living relative to the fennec fox is the [[Blanford's fox]]. They are two of eight "desert fox" species, which is a group of ''Vulpes'' that share comparable ecologies. The other members include the [[corsac fox]], [[pale fox]], [[kit fox]], [[Tibetan fox]], [[Rüppell's fox]] and [[Cape fox]]. All eight species evolved to survive in desert environments, developing several traits such as sandy colored coats, large ears, pigmented eyes, and specialized kidneys.<ref>{{cite book |last=Henry |first=J. David |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=raFqBgAAQBAJ&dq=info:ghaYhfc08R4J:scholar.google.com/&pg=PT5 |title=Red Fox: The Catlike Canine |date=2013-04-09 |publisher=[[Smithsonian Institution]] |isbn=978-1-58834-339-0 |language=en}}</ref> The word ''fennec'' is derived from the Arabic word ''fanak'' which likely has Persian origins.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fennec |url=https://www.dictionary.com/browse/fennec |access-date=2024-12-19 |website=Dictionary.com}}</ref>
According to DNA evidence, the closest living relative to the fennec fox is the [[Blanford's fox]]. They are two of eight "desert fox" species, which is a group of ''Vulpes'' that share comparable ecologies. The other members include the [[corsac fox]], [[pale fox]], [[kit fox]], [[Tibetan fox]], [[Rüppell's fox]] and [[Cape fox]]. All eight species evolved to survive in desert environments, developing several traits such as sandy colored coats, large ears, pigmented eyes, and specialized kidneys.<ref>{{cite book |last=Henry |first=J. David |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=raFqBgAAQBAJ&dq=info:ghaYhfc08R4J:scholar.google.com/&pg=PT5 |title=Red Fox: The Catlike Canine |date=2013-04-09 |publisher=[[Smithsonian Institution]] |isbn=978-1-58834-339-0 |language=en}}</ref> The word ''fennec'' is derived from the Arabic word ''fanak'' which likely has Persian origins.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fennec |url=https://www.dictionary.com/browse/fennec |access-date=2024-12-19 |website=Dictionary.com}}</ref>
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[[File:Fennecus zerda 05 MWNH 1387.JPG|thumb|Skull of a fennec fox|left]]
[[File:Fennecus zerda 05 MWNH 1387.JPG|thumb|Skull of a fennec fox|left]]


The fennec fox has sand-colored fur which reflects sunlight during the day and helps keep it warm at night. Its nose is black and its tapering tail has a black tip. Its long ears have longitudinal reddish stripes on the back and are so densely haired inside that the [[external auditory meatus]] is not visible.<ref name=Zimmermann1780>{{cite book |author=Zimmermann, E.A.W. |year=1780 |title=Geographische Geschichte des Menschen, und der allgemein verbreiteten vierfüßigen Thiere |volume=II. Enthält ein vollständiges Verzeichniß aller bekannten Quadrupeden |location=Leipzig |publisher=Weygand |pages=247–248 |chapter=Der Zerda |chapter-url=https://publikationsserver.tu-braunschweig.de/rsc/viewer/dbbs_derivate_00004650/max/00000260.jpg}}</ref> The edges of the ears are whitish, but darker on the back. The ear to body ratio is the greatest in the [[Canidae|canid family]] and likely helps in dissipating heat and locating prey. It has large, dense [[kidney]]s with somewhat compact medulla, which help store water in times of scarcity. It has dark streaks running from the inner eye to either side of the slender muzzle. Its large eyes are dark. The dental formula is {{DentalFormula |upper=3.1.4.2 |lower=3.1.4.3 |total=42}} with small and narrow [[Canine tooth|canine]]s. The pads of its paws are covered with dense fur, which facilitates walking on hot, sandy soil.<ref name=Asa_al2004>{{cite book |author1=Asa, C.S. |name-list-style=amp |author2=Valdespino, C. |author3=Cuzin, F. |title=Canids: Foxes, Wolves, Jackals and Dogs: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan |editor1=Sillero-Zubiri, C. |editor2=Hoffman, M. |editor3=Mech, D. |year=2004 |publisher=IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group |location=Gland, Switzerland |isbn=2-8317-0786-2 |pages=205–209 |chapter=Fennec fox ''Vulpes zerda'' (Zimmermann, 1780) |chapter-url=https://www.carnivoreconservation.org/files/actionplans/canids.pdf#page=217}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite journal |last1=L. Rocha |first1=Joana |last2=Silva |first2=Pedro |last3=Santos |first3=Nuno |last4=Nakamura |first4=Mónia |last5=Afonso |first5=Sandra |last6=Qninba |first6=Abdeljebbar |last7=Boratynski |first7=Zbyszek |last8=Sudmant |first8=Peter H. |last9=Brito |first9=José C. |last10=Nielsen |first10=Rasmus |last11=Godinho |first11=Raquel |date=2023-06-12 |title=North African fox genomes show signatures of repeated introgression and adaptation to life in deserts |url=https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-023-02094-w |journal=Nature Ecology & Evolution |volume=7 |issue=8 |pages=1267–1286 |doi=10.1038/s41559-023-02094-w |pmid=37308700 |pmc=10527534 |bibcode=2023NatEE...7.1267L |issn=2397-334X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Carbyn |first1=Ludwig N. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Er1di1OqnlAC&dq=info:Tsso_5O2PTQJ:scholar.google.com/&pg=PA223 |title=The Swift Fox: Ecology and Conservation of Swift Foxes in a Changing World |last2=Center |first2=University of Regina Canadian Plains Research |date=2003 |publisher=University of Regina Press |isbn=978-0-88977-154-3 |pages=223–229 |language=en}}</ref>
The fennec fox has sand-colored fur which reflects sunlight during the day and helps keep it warm at night. Its nose is black and its tapering tail has a black tip. Its long ears have longitudinal reddish stripes on the back and are so densely haired inside that the [[external auditory meatus]] is not visible.<ref>{{cite book |author=Zimmermann, E.A.W. |year=1780 |title=Geographische Geschichte des Menschen, und der allgemein verbreiteten vierfüßigen Thiere |volume=II. Enthält ein vollständiges Verzeichniß aller bekannten Quadrupeden |location=Leipzig |publisher=Weygand |pages=247–248 |chapter=Der Zerda |chapter-url=https://publikationsserver.tu-braunschweig.de/rsc/viewer/dbbs_derivate_00004650/max/00000260.jpg}}</ref> The edges of the ears are whitish, but darker on the back. The ear to body ratio is the greatest in the [[Canidae|canid family]] and likely helps in dissipating heat and locating prey. It has large, dense [[kidney]]s with somewhat compact medulla, which help store water in times of scarcity. It has dark streaks running from the inner eye to either side of the slender muzzle. Its large eyes are dark. The dental formula is {{DentalFormula |upper=3.1.4.2 |lower=3.1.4.3 |total=42}} with small and narrow [[Canine tooth|canine]]s. The pads of its paws are covered with dense fur, which facilitates walking on hot, sandy soil.<ref name="Cuzin, F.-2004">{{cite book |author1=Asa, C.S. |name-list-style=amp |author2=Valdespino, C. |author3=Cuzin, F. |title=Canids: Foxes, Wolves, Jackals and Dogs: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan |editor1=Sillero-Zubiri, C. |editor2=Hoffman, M. |editor3=Mech, D. |year=2004 |publisher=IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group |location=Gland, Switzerland |isbn=2-8317-0786-2 |pages=205–209 |chapter=Fennec fox ''Vulpes zerda'' (Zimmermann, 1780) |chapter-url=https://www.carnivoreconservation.org/files/actionplans/canids.pdf#page=217}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=L. Rocha |first1=Joana |last2=Silva |first2=Pedro |last3=Santos |first3=Nuno |last4=Nakamura |first4=Mónia |last5=Afonso |first5=Sandra |last6=Qninba |first6=Abdeljebbar |last7=Boratynski |first7=Zbyszek |last8=Sudmant |first8=Peter H. |last9=Brito |first9=José C. |last10=Nielsen |first10=Rasmus |last11=Godinho |first11=Raquel |date=2023-06-12 |title=North African fox genomes show signatures of repeated introgression and adaptation to life in deserts |journal=Nature Ecology & Evolution |volume=7 |issue=8 |pages=1267–1286 |doi=10.1038/s41559-023-02094-w |pmid=37308700 |pmc=10527534 |bibcode=2023NatEE...7.1267L |issn=2397-334X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Carbyn |first1=Ludwig N. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Er1di1OqnlAC&dq=info:Tsso_5O2PTQJ:scholar.google.com/&pg=PA223 |title=The Swift Fox: Ecology and Conservation of Swift Foxes in a Changing World |last2=Center |first2=University of Regina Canadian Plains Research |date=2003 |publisher=University of Regina Press |isbn=978-0-88977-154-3 |pages=223–229 |language=en}}</ref>


The fennec fox is the smallest [[Canidae|canid]] species. Females range in head-to-body size from {{cvt|34.5|to|39.5|cm}} with a {{cvt|23-25|cm}} long tail and {{cvt|9-9.5|cm}} long ears, and weigh {{cvt|1-1.9|kg}}. Males are slightly larger, ranging in head-to-body size from {{cvt|39|to|39.5|cm}} with a {{cvt|23-25|cm}} long tail and {{cvt|10|cm}} long ears, weighing at least {{cvt|1.3|kg}}.<ref name=Asa_al2004/>
The fennec fox is the smallest [[Canidae|canid]] species. Females range in head-to-body size from {{cvt|34.5|to|39.5|cm}} with a {{cvt|23-25|cm}} long tail and {{cvt|9-9.5|cm}} long ears, and weigh {{cvt|1-1.9|kg}}. Males are slightly larger, ranging in head-to-body size from {{cvt|39|to|39.5|cm}} with a {{cvt|23-25|cm}} long tail and {{cvt|10|cm}} long ears, weighing at least {{cvt|1.3|kg}}.<ref name="Cuzin, F.-2004"/>


== Distribution and habitat ==
== Distribution and habitat ==
The fennec fox is distributed throughout the Sahara, from [[Morocco]] and [[Mauritania]] to northern [[Sudan]], through [[Egypt]] and its [[Sinai Peninsula]].<ref name=iucn/> It inhabits small sand dunes and vast treeless sand areas with sparse vegetation such as grasses, [[sedge]]s and small shrubs.<ref name=Asa_al2004/><ref>{{cite journal |author1=Karssene, Y. |name-list-style=amp |author2=Chammem, M. |author3=Li, F. |author4=Eddine, A. |author5=Hermann, A. |author6=Nouira, S. |year=2019 |title=Spatial and temporal variability in the distribution, daily activity and diet of fennec fox (''Vulpes zerda''), red fox (''Vulpes vulpes'') and African golden wolf (''Canis anthus'') in southern Tunisia |journal=Mammalian Biology |volume=95 |issue=1 |pages=41–50 |doi=10.1016/j.mambio.2019.02.001 |bibcode=2019MamBi..95...41K |s2cid=91615641 }}</ref> In the northern part of its range annual rainfalls have been recorded at <100&nbsp;mm compared to 300&nbsp;mm in its southern range.<ref name="iucn" /><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Kingdon |first1=Jonathan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e_OOAQAACAAJ |title=Mammals of Africa: Carnivores, pangolins, equids and rhinoceroses. Volume V |last2=Hoffmann |first2=Michael |date=2013 |publisher=Bloomsbury Pub. |isbn=978-1-4729-2695-1 |pages=74–77 |language=en}}</ref> The fennec fox's range likely overlaps with that of other canines such as the [[golden jackal]] and [[Rüppell's fox]]. Compared to these canids, the fennec fox seems to inhabit areas with more extreme climate and has been known to build burrows in grainier surfaces; this adaptation gives it an edge over competitors.<ref name="iucn" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Burruss |first=Nathan Dylan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SRPaoQEACAAJ |title=The Environmental Constraints of Rüppell's (Vulpes. Rueppellii), Pale (V. Pallida), and Fennec Foxes (V. Zerda), and Golden Jackals (Canis Aureus) Within the Termit & Tin Toumma Nature and Cultural Reserve and an Analysis of Pale Fox Food Habits |date=2014 |publisher=New Mexico State University |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Asa_al2004" />
The fennec fox is distributed throughout the Sahara, from [[Morocco]] and [[Mauritania]] to northern [[Sudan]], through [[Egypt]] and its [[Sinai Peninsula]].<ref name=iucn/> It inhabits small sand dunes and vast treeless sand areas with sparse vegetation such as grasses, [[sedge]]s and small shrubs.<ref name="Cuzin, F.-2004"/><ref>{{cite journal |author1=Karssene, Y. |name-list-style=amp |author2=Chammem, M. |author3=Li, F. |author4=Eddine, A. |author5=Hermann, A. |author6=Nouira, S. |year=2019 |title=Spatial and temporal variability in the distribution, daily activity and diet of fennec fox (''Vulpes zerda''), red fox (''Vulpes vulpes'') and African golden wolf (''Canis anthus'') in southern Tunisia |journal=Mammalian Biology |volume=95 |issue=1 |pages=41–50 |doi=10.1016/j.mambio.2019.02.001 |bibcode=2019MamBi..95...41K |s2cid=91615641 }}</ref> In the northern part of its range annual rainfalls have been recorded at <100&nbsp;mm compared to 300&nbsp;mm in its southern range.<ref name="iucn" /><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Kingdon |first1=Jonathan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e_OOAQAACAAJ |title=Mammals of Africa: Carnivores, pangolins, equids and rhinoceroses. Volume V |last2=Hoffmann |first2=Michael |date=2013 |publisher=Bloomsbury Pub. |isbn=978-1-4729-2695-1 |pages=74–77 |language=en}}</ref> The fennec fox's range likely overlaps with that of other canines such as the [[golden jackal]] and [[Rüppell's fox]]. Compared to these canids, the fennec fox seems to inhabit areas with more extreme climate and has been known to build burrows in grainier surfaces; this adaptation gives it an edge over competitors.<ref name="iucn" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Burruss |first=Nathan Dylan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SRPaoQEACAAJ |title=The Environmental Constraints of Rüppell's (Vulpes. Rueppellii), Pale (V. Pallida), and Fennec Foxes (V. Zerda), and Golden Jackals (Canis Aureus) Within the Termit & Tin Toumma Nature and Cultural Reserve and an Analysis of Pale Fox Food Habits |date=2014 |publisher=New Mexico State University |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Cuzin, F.-2004" />


== Behaviour and ecology ==
== Behaviour and ecology ==
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[[File:Desert fennec . Sahara fox in Morocco.jpg|thumb|Fennec fox in the Moroccan Sahara]]
[[File:Desert fennec . Sahara fox in Morocco.jpg|thumb|Fennec fox in the Moroccan Sahara]]


Fennec foxes are primarily nocturnal, displaying heightened activity during the cooler nighttime hours.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Carlstead |first=K. |date=1990 |title=Husbandry of the Fennec fox: ''Fennecus zerda'': environmental conditions influencing stereotypic behaviour |journal=International Zoo Yearbook |volume=30 |issue=1 |page=202 |doi=10.1111/j.1748-1090.1990.tb01164.x|doi-broken-date=19 December 2024 }}</ref> This behaviour helps them escape the extreme Saharan heat and reduces water loss through panting.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Maloiy |first1=G. M. O. |last2=Kamau |first2=J. M. Z. |last3=Shkolnik |first3=A. |last4=Meir |first4=M. |last5=Arieli |first5=R. |date=1982 |title=Thermoregulation and metabolism in a small desert carnivore: the Fennec fox (''Fennecus zerda'') (Mammalia) |journal=Journal of Zoology |volume=198 |issue=3 |pages=279–291 |doi=10.1111/j.1469-7998.1982.tb02076.x}}</ref> A fennec fox digs its den in sand, either in open areas or places sheltered by plants with stable [[sand dune]]s. In compacted soils, dens are up to {{cvt|120|m2}} large, with up to 15 different entrances. In some cases, different families interconnect their dens, or locate them close together. In soft, looser sand, dens tend to be simpler with only one entrance leading to a single chamber.<ref name=Asa_al2004/>
Fennec foxes are primarily nocturnal, displaying heightened activity during the cooler nighttime hours.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Carlstead |first=K. |date=1990 |title=Husbandry of the Fennec fox: ''Fennecus zerda'': environmental conditions influencing stereotypic behaviour |journal=International Zoo Yearbook |volume=30 |issue=1 |page=202 |doi=10.1111/j.1748-1090.1990.tb01164.x |doi-broken-date=27 August 2025 }}</ref> This behaviour helps them escape the extreme Saharan heat and reduces water loss through panting.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Maloiy |first1=G. M. O. |last2=Kamau |first2=J. M. Z. |last3=Shkolnik |first3=A. |last4=Meir |first4=M. |last5=Arieli |first5=R. |date=1982 |title=Thermoregulation and metabolism in a small desert carnivore: the Fennec fox (''Fennecus zerda'') (Mammalia) |journal=Journal of Zoology |volume=198 |issue=3 |pages=279–291 |doi=10.1111/j.1469-7998.1982.tb02076.x}}</ref> A fennec fox digs its den in sand, either in open areas or places sheltered by plants with stable [[sand dune]]s. In compacted soils, dens are up to {{cvt|120|m2}} large, with up to 15 different entrances. In some cases, different families interconnect their dens, or locate them close together. In soft, looser sand, dens tend to be simpler with only one entrance leading to a single chamber.<ref name="Cuzin, F.-2004"/>


Captive individuals reside in family groups. Fennec foxes exhibit playful behavior, especially among younger individuals.<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last1=Dempsey |first1=J. L. |last2=Hanna |first2=S. J. |last3=Asa |first3=C. S. |last4=Bauman |first4=K. L. |date=2009 |title=Nutrition and behavior of Fennec Foxes (''Vulpes zerda'') |journal=Veterinary Clinics of North America: Exotic Animal Practice |series=Nutrition and Behavior of Uncommon Species |volume=12 |issue=2 |pages=299–312 |doi=10.1016/j.cvex.2009.01.004|pmid=19341956 }}</ref>
Captive individuals reside in family groups. Fennec foxes exhibit playful behavior, especially among younger individuals.<ref name="Dempsey-2009">{{Cite journal |last1=Dempsey |first1=J. L. |last2=Hanna |first2=S. J. |last3=Asa |first3=C. S. |last4=Bauman |first4=K. L. |date=2009 |title=Nutrition and behavior of Fennec Foxes (''Vulpes zerda'') |journal=Veterinary Clinics of North America: Exotic Animal Practice |series=Nutrition and Behavior of Uncommon Species |volume=12 |issue=2 |pages=299–312 |doi=10.1016/j.cvex.2009.01.004|pmid=19341956 }}</ref>


=== Hunting and diet ===
=== Hunting and diet ===
The fennec fox is omnivorous, feeding on small [[rodent]]s, [[lizard]]s ([[gecko]]s and [[skink]]s), small birds and their eggs, insects, fruits, [[leaves]], [[root]]s and also some [[tuber]]s.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Vulpes_zerda/ | title=Vulpes zerda (Fennec) | website=[[Animal Diversity Web]] }}</ref> It relies on the moisture content of prey, but drinks water when available.<ref name=Asa_al2004/>
The fennec fox is omnivorous, feeding on small [[rodent]]s, [[lizard]]s ([[gecko]]s and [[skink]]s), small birds and their eggs, insects, fruits, [[leaves]], [[root]]s and also some [[tuber]]s.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Vulpes_zerda/ | title=Vulpes zerda (Fennec) | website=[[Animal Diversity Web]] }}</ref> It relies on the moisture content of prey, but drinks water when available.<ref name="Cuzin, F.-2004"/>
It hunts alone and digs in the sand for small [[vertebrate]]s and [[insect]]s. Some individuals were observed to bury prey for later consumption and searching for food in the vicinity of human settlements.<ref name=Asa2013>{{cite book |author1=Asa, C.S. |author2=Cuzin, F.A. |name-list-style=amp |date=2013 |chapter=''Vulpes zerda'' Fennec Fox |pages=74–77 |editor1-last=Kingdon |editor1-first=J. |editor2-last=Happold |editor2-first=D. |editor3-last=Hoffmann |editor3-first=M. |editor4-last=Butynski |editor4-first=T. |editor5-last=Happold |editor5-first=M. |editor6-last=Kalina |editor6-first=J. |title=Mammals of Africa |volume=V: Carnivores, Pangolins, Equids and Rhinoceroses |publisher=Bloomsbury |location=London, New Delhi, New York, Sydney |isbn=978-1-4081-8994-8 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B_07noCPc4kC&pg=RA4-PA74}}</ref>
It hunts alone and digs in the sand for small [[vertebrate]]s and [[insect]]s. Some individuals were observed to bury prey for later consumption and searching for food in the vicinity of human settlements.<ref name="Cuzin, F.A.-2013">{{cite book |author1=Asa, C.S. |author2=Cuzin, F.A. |name-list-style=amp |date=2013 |chapter=''Vulpes zerda'' Fennec Fox |pages=74–77 |editor1-last=Kingdon |editor1-first=J. |editor2-last=Happold |editor2-first=D. |editor3-last=Hoffmann |editor3-first=M. |editor4-last=Butynski |editor4-first=T. |editor5-last=Happold |editor5-first=M. |editor6-last=Kalina |editor6-first=J. |title=Mammals of Africa |volume=V: Carnivores, Pangolins, Equids and Rhinoceroses |publisher=Bloomsbury |location=London, New Delhi, New York, Sydney |isbn=978-1-4081-8994-8 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B_07noCPc4kC&pg=RA4-PA74}}</ref>


In the Algerian Sahara, 114 scat samples were collected that contained more than 400 insects, plant fragments and [[date palm]] (''Phoenix dactylifera'') fruits, remains of birds, mammals, [[squamata]] and insects.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |title=First quantitative data on the diet of the fennec fox, ''Vulpes zerda'' (Canidae, Carnivora), in Algeria |journal=Folia Zoologica |volume=61 |pages=61–70 |year=2012 |last1=Brahmi |first1=K. |last2=Khechekhouche |first2=E.A. |last3=Mostefaoui |first3=O. |last4=Doumandji |first4=S. |last5=Baziz |first5=B. |last6=Aulagnier |first6=S. |s2cid=86211731 |name-list-style=amp |doi=10.25225/fozo.v61.i1.a10.2012 |doi-access=free}}</ref>
In the Algerian Sahara, 114 scat samples were collected that contained more than 400 insects, plant fragments and [[date palm]] (''Phoenix dactylifera'') fruits, remains of birds, mammals, [[squamata]] and insects.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=First quantitative data on the diet of the fennec fox, ''Vulpes zerda'' (Canidae, Carnivora), in Algeria |journal=Folia Zoologica |volume=61 |pages=61–70 |year=2012 |last1=Brahmi |first1=K. |last2=Khechekhouche |first2=E.A. |last3=Mostefaoui |first3=O. |last4=Doumandji |first4=S. |last5=Baziz |first5=B. |last6=Aulagnier |first6=S. |s2cid=86211731 |name-list-style=amp |doi=10.25225/fozo.v61.i1.a10.2012 |doi-access=free}}</ref>


=== Reproduction ===
=== Reproduction ===
[[File:Fenecs (crop).jpg|thumb|Male fennec fox mounting a female]]
[[File:Fenecs (crop).jpg|thumb|Male fennec fox mounting a female]]


Fennec foxes [[monogamy in animals|mate for life]].<ref name=":2" /> Captive animals reach [[sexual maturity]] at around nine months and mate between January and April.<ref name=Gauthier-Pilters>{{cite journal |last=Gauthier-Pilters |first=H. |year=1967 |title=The Fennec |journal=African Wildlife |volume=21 |pages=117–125}}</ref><ref name=SaintGirons>{{cite journal |last1=Saint Girons |first1=M. C. |year=1962 |title=Notes sur les dates de reproduction en captivite du fennec, ''Fennecus zerda'' (Zimmerman, 1780) |journal=Zeitschrift für Säugetierkunde |volume=27 |pages=181–184 |url=https://www.zobodat.at/pdf/Zeitschrift-Saeugetierkunde_27_0181-0184.pdf |language=fr}}</ref> Female fennec foxes are in [[Estrous cycle|estrus]] for an average of 24 hours and usually breed once per year; the [[Canine tying|copulation tie]] lasts up to two hours and 45 minutes.<ref name=":0">{{cite journal |last1=Valdespino |first1=C. |name-list-style=amp |last2=Asa |first2=C. S. |last3=Bauman |first3=J. E. |year=2002 |title=Estrous cycles, copulation and pregnancy in the fennec fox (''Vulpes zerda'') |journal=Journal of Mammalogy |volume=83 |issue=1 |pages=99–109 |doi=10.1644/1545-1542(2002)083<0099:ECCAPI>2.0.CO;2 |s2cid=51812228 |url=https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article-pdf/83/1/99/7022997/83-1-99.pdf}}</ref> [[Gestation]] usually lasts between 50 and 52 days, though sometimes up to 63 days.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Petter |first=F. |year=1957 |title=La reproduction du fennec |journal=Mammalia |volume=21 |pages=307–309}}</ref><ref name=Gangloff1972>{{cite journal |last=Gangloff |first=L. |year=1972 |title=Breeding fennec foxes ''Fennecus zerda'' at Strasbourg Zoo |journal=International Zoo Yearbook |volume=12 |issue=1 |pages=115–116 |doi=10.1111/j.1748-1090.1972.tb02289.x}}</ref> After mating, the male becomes very aggressive and protects the female, and provides her with food during pregnancy and [[lactation]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Sowards |first=R. K. |year=1981 |title=Observation on breeding and rearing the fennec fox (''Fennecus zerda'') in captivity |journal=Animal Keepers' Forum |volume=8 |pages=175–177}}</ref> Females give birth between March and June to a [[Litter (zoology)|litter]] of one to four pups that open their eyes after 8 to 11 days.<ref name=Gangloff1972/><ref name=SaintGirons/> Both female and male care for the pups. They communicate by barking, purring, yapping and squeaking. Pups remain in the family even after a new litter is born.<ref name=Gauthier-Pilters/> The pups are [[wean]]ed at the age of 61 to 70 days.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Koenig |first=L. |year=1970 |title=Zur Fortpflanzung und Jungendentwicklung des Wüstenfuchses (''Fennecus zerda'' Zimm. 1780) |journal=Zeitschrift für Tierpsychologie |volume=27 |issue=2 |pages=205–246 |doi=10.1111/j.1439-0310.1970.tb01873.x |s2cid=84068292 |language=de}}</ref> Adults rear pups until they are around 16 to 17 weeks old.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last1=Siciliano-Martina |first1=L. |last2=Martina |first2=J. P. |last3=Dohnalik |first3=E. |last4=Vielleux |first4=G. |date=2023 |title=Factors influencing the timing and frequency of litters in captive fennec foxes (''Vulpes zerda'') |journal=Animal Reproduction Science |volume=248 |pages=107182 |doi=10.1016/j.anireprosci.2022.107182|pmid=36529013 }}</ref>  The average lifespan in the wild is 10 years.<ref name="COTW" /> The oldest captive male fennec fox was 14 years old, and the oldest female 13 years.<ref name=Asa_al2004 />
Fennec foxes [[monogamy in animals|mate for life]].<ref name="Siciliano-Martina-2023" /> Captive animals reach [[sexual maturity]] at around nine months and mate between January and April.<ref name="Gauthier-Pilters-1967">{{cite journal |last=Gauthier-Pilters |first=H. |year=1967 |title=The Fennec |journal=African Wildlife |volume=21 |pages=117–125}}</ref><ref name="Saint Girons-1962">{{cite journal |last1=Saint Girons |first1=M. C. |year=1962 |title=Notes sur les dates de reproduction en captivite du fennec, ''Fennecus zerda'' (Zimmerman, 1780) |journal=Zeitschrift für Säugetierkunde |volume=27 |pages=181–184 |url=https://www.zobodat.at/pdf/Zeitschrift-Saeugetierkunde_27_0181-0184.pdf |language=fr}}</ref> Female fennec foxes are in [[Estrous cycle|estrus]] for an average of 24 hours and usually breed once per year; the [[Canine tying|copulation tie]] lasts up to two hours and 45 minutes.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Valdespino |first1=C. |name-list-style=amp |last2=Asa |first2=C. S. |last3=Bauman |first3=J. E. |year=2002 |title=Estrous cycles, copulation and pregnancy in the fennec fox (''Vulpes zerda'') |journal=Journal of Mammalogy |volume=83 |issue=1 |pages=99–109 |doi=10.1644/1545-1542(2002)083<0099:ECCAPI>2.0.CO;2 |s2cid=51812228 |url=https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article-pdf/83/1/99/7022997/83-1-99.pdf}}</ref> [[Gestation]] usually lasts between 50 and 52 days, though sometimes up to 63 days.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Petter |first=F. |year=1957 |title=La reproduction du fennec |journal=Mammalia |volume=21 |pages=307–309}}</ref><ref name="Gangloff-1972">{{cite journal |last=Gangloff |first=L. |year=1972 |title=Breeding fennec foxes ''Fennecus zerda'' at Strasbourg Zoo |journal=International Zoo Yearbook |volume=12 |issue=1 |pages=115–116 |doi=10.1111/j.1748-1090.1972.tb02289.x}}</ref> After mating, the male becomes aggressive and protects the female, and provides her with food during pregnancy and [[lactation]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Sowards |first=R. K. |year=1981 |title=Observation on breeding and rearing the fennec fox (''Fennecus zerda'') in captivity |journal=Animal Keepers' Forum |volume=8 |pages=175–177}}</ref> Females give birth between March and June to a [[Litter (zoology)|litter]] of one to four pups that open their eyes after 8 to 11 days.<ref name="Gangloff-1972"/><ref name="Saint Girons-1962"/> Both female and male care for the pups. They communicate by barking, purring, yapping and squeaking. Pups remain in the family even after a new litter is born.<ref name="Gauthier-Pilters-1967"/> The pups are [[wean]]ed at the age of 61 to 70 days.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Koenig |first=L. |year=1970 |title=Zur Fortpflanzung und Jungendentwicklung des Wüstenfuchses (''Fennecus zerda'' Zimm. 1780) |journal=Zeitschrift für Tierpsychologie |volume=27 |issue=2 |pages=205–246 |doi=10.1111/j.1439-0310.1970.tb01873.x |bibcode=1970Ethol..27..205K |s2cid=84068292 |language=de}}</ref> Adults rear pups until they are around 16 to 17 weeks old.<ref name="Siciliano-Martina-2023">{{Cite journal |last1=Siciliano-Martina |first1=L. |last2=Martina |first2=J. P. |last3=Dohnalik |first3=E. |last4=Vielleux |first4=G. |date=2023 |title=Factors influencing the timing and frequency of litters in captive fennec foxes (''Vulpes zerda'') |journal=Animal Reproduction Science |volume=248 |article-number=107182 |doi=10.1016/j.anireprosci.2022.107182|pmid=36529013 }}</ref>  The average lifespan in the wild is 10 years.<ref name="COTW" /> The oldest captive male fennec fox was 14 years old, and the oldest female 13 years.<ref name="Cuzin, F.-2004" />


=== Predators, parasites and diseases ===
=== Predators, parasites and diseases ===
African [[horned owl]] species such as the [[Pharaoh eagle-owl]] prey on fennec fox pups. Anecdotal reports exist about [[jackal]]s and [[striped hyena]]s also preying on the fennec fox. But according to nomads, the fennec fox is fast and changes directions so well that even their [[Saluki]]s are hardly ever able to capture it.<ref name=Asa_al2004/>
African [[horned owl]] species such as the [[Pharaoh eagle-owl]] prey on fennec fox pups. Anecdotal reports exist about [[jackal]]s and [[striped hyena]]s also preying on the fennec fox. But according to nomads, the fennec fox is fast and changes directions so well that even their [[Saluki]]s are hardly ever able to capture it.<ref name="Cuzin, F.-2004"/>


Captive fennec foxes are susceptible to [[canine distemper virus]], displaying fever, mucopurulent ocular discharge, [[diarrhea]], severe [[emaciation]], seizures, generalized [[ataxia]], severe [[dehydration]], brain congestion, gastric ulcers and death. Stress because of capture and long-distance transportation are thought to be the causes.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Woo |first1=G.-H. |last2=Jho |first2=Y.-S. |last3=Bak |first3=E.-J. |title=Canine distemper virus infection in Fennec Fox (''Vulpes zerda'') |journal=Journal of Veterinary Medical Science |date=2010 |volume=72 |issue=8 |pages=1075–1079 |doi=10.1292/jvms.09-0510|pmid=20299771 |doi-access=free}}</ref> In 2012, a study reported a case of ''[[Trichophyton mentagrophytes]]'', a [[fungus]] species, in a 2-year-old male. It died not too long after contracting the pathogen from [[Anorexia (symptom)|anorexia]] and [[Jaundice|icterus]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Pressanti |first1=Charline |last2=Delverdier |first2=Maxence |last3=Iriart |first3=Xavier |last4=Morcel |first4=Frédérique |last5=Cadiergues |first5=Marie-Christine |date=2012 |title=A case of Trichophyton mentagrophytes infection in a fennec fox (Vulpes zerda) |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-3164.2012.01077.x |journal=Veterinary Dermatology |volume=23 |issue=5 |pages=456–e87 |doi=10.1111/j.1365-3164.2012.01077.x |pmid=22822716 |issn=1365-3164}}</ref> A 2019 review of the deaths of fennec foxes due to medical conditions or pathogens at the [[Bronx Zoo|Bronx]] and [[Prospect Park Zoo]]s since 1980 found that the majority of such deaths were attributed to [[Neoplasm|neoplasia]] and [[infection]]. Most foxes developed infections or medical conditions from [[atopic dermatitis]] and other dermatologic dliseases, as well as trauma.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Figueroa |first1=Rachael |last2=Oliveira |first2=Ryan D. |last3=Sykes |first3=John M. |date=July 2023 |title=A 40-year (1980–2019) Retrospective review of morbidity and mortality of fennec foxes (Vulpes Zerda) at the Bronx and Prospect Park Zoos |url=https://bioone.org/journals/journal-of-zoo-and-wildlife-medicine/volume-54/issue-2/2022-0167/A-40-YEAR-19802019-RETROSPECTIVE-REVIEW-OF-MORBIDITY-AND-MORTALITY/10.1638/2022-0167.short |journal=Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine |language=en |volume=54 |issue=2 |pages=252–261 |doi=10.1638/2022-0167 |pmid=37428687 |issn=1042-7260 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241211204959/https://bioone.org/journals/journal-of-zoo-and-wildlife-medicine/volume-54/issue-2/2022-0167/A-40-YEAR-19802019-RETROSPECTIVE-REVIEW-OF-MORBIDITY-AND-MORTALITY/10.1638/2022-0167.short |archive-date=2024-12-11|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Parasites known to infect the fennec fox include [[Nematode|roundworm]]s such as ''[[Capillaria (nematode)|Capillaria]]''<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Taki |first1=Yahya |last2=Bourquia |first2=Maria |date=2024-04-30 |title=Gastrointestinal and respiratory parasites in captive mammals at Rabat zoo, with the first record of Capillaria spp. in the Fennec fox (Vulpes zerda) |url=https://veterinariaitaliana.izs.it/index.php/VetIt/article/view/2856 |journal=Veterinaria Italiana |language=en |volume=59 |issue=3 |doi=10.12834/VetIt.2856.19877.2 |pmid=38686838 |issn=1828-1427}}</ref> and ''[[Angiostrongylus vasorum]]'',<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Galietta |first1=Valentina |last2=Eleni |first2=Claudia |last3=Raso |first3=Caterina |last4=Cocumelli |first4=Cristiano |last5=Friedrich |first5=Klaus G. |last6=Di Cerbo |first6=Pilar |last7=Iurescia |first7=Manuela |last8=Diaconu |first8=Elena L. |last9=Alba |first9=Patricia |last10=De Liberato |first10=Claudio |date=September 2022 |title=Systemic Infection by Angiostrongylus vasorum in a Fennec (Vulpes zerda) in an Italian Zoological Garden |journal=Pathogens |language=en |volume=11 |issue=9 |pages=965 |doi=10.3390/pathogens11090965 |issn=2076-0817 |pmc=9505467 |pmid=36145397 |doi-access=free}}</ref> as well as the [[alveolate]] ''[[Toxoplasma gondii]]''.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Kottwitz |first1=Jack J. |last2=Preziosi |first2=Diane E. |last3=Miller |first3=Margaret A. |last4=Ramos-Vara |first4=Jose A. |last5=Maggs |first5=David J. |last6=Bonagura |first6=John D. |date=2004-11-01 |title=Heart Failure Caused by Toxoplasmosis in a Fennec Fox (Fennecus zerda) |url=https://meridian.allenpress.com/jaaha/article-abstract/40/6/501/176124/Heart-Failure-Caused-by-Toxoplasmosis-in-a-Fennec |journal=Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association |volume=40 |issue=6 |pages=501–507 |doi=10.5326/0400501 |pmid=15533972 |issn=0587-2871|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
Captive fennec foxes are susceptible to [[canine distemper virus]], displaying fever, mucopurulent ocular discharge, [[diarrhea]], severe [[emaciation]], seizures, generalized [[ataxia]], severe [[dehydration]], brain congestion, gastric ulcers and death. Stress because of capture and long-distance transportation are thought to be the causes.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Woo |first1=G.-H. |last2=Jho |first2=Y.-S. |last3=Bak |first3=E.-J. |title=Canine distemper virus infection in Fennec Fox (''Vulpes zerda'') |journal=Journal of Veterinary Medical Science |date=2010 |volume=72 |issue=8 |pages=1075–1079 |doi=10.1292/jvms.09-0510|pmid=20299771 |doi-access=free}}</ref> In 2012, a study reported a case of ''[[Trichophyton mentagrophytes]]'', a [[fungus]] species, in a 2-year-old male. It died not too long after contracting the pathogen from [[Anorexia (symptom)|anorexia]] and [[Jaundice|icterus]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Pressanti |first1=Charline |last2=Delverdier |first2=Maxence |last3=Iriart |first3=Xavier |last4=Morcel |first4=Frédérique |last5=Cadiergues |first5=Marie-Christine |date=2012 |title=A case of Trichophyton mentagrophytes infection in a fennec fox (Vulpes zerda) |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-3164.2012.01077.x |journal=Veterinary Dermatology |volume=23 |issue=5 |pages=456–e87 |doi=10.1111/j.1365-3164.2012.01077.x |pmid=22822716 |issn=1365-3164}}</ref> A 2019 review of the deaths of fennec foxes due to medical conditions or pathogens at the [[Bronx Zoo|Bronx]] and [[Prospect Park Zoo]]s since 1980 found that the majority of such deaths were attributed to [[Neoplasm|neoplasia]] and [[infection]]. Most foxes developed infections or medical conditions from [[atopic dermatitis]] and other dermatologic diseases, as well as trauma.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Figueroa |first1=Rachael |last2=Oliveira |first2=Ryan D. |last3=Sykes |first3=John M. |date=July 2023 |title=A 40-year (1980–2019) Retrospective review of morbidity and mortality of fennec foxes (Vulpes Zerda) at the Bronx and Prospect Park Zoos |url=https://bioone.org/journals/journal-of-zoo-and-wildlife-medicine/volume-54/issue-2/2022-0167/A-40-YEAR-19802019-RETROSPECTIVE-REVIEW-OF-MORBIDITY-AND-MORTALITY/10.1638/2022-0167.short |journal=Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine |language=en |volume=54 |issue=2 |pages=252–261 |doi=10.1638/2022-0167 |pmid=37428687 |issn=1042-7260 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241211204959/https://bioone.org/journals/journal-of-zoo-and-wildlife-medicine/volume-54/issue-2/2022-0167/A-40-YEAR-19802019-RETROSPECTIVE-REVIEW-OF-MORBIDITY-AND-MORTALITY/10.1638/2022-0167.short |archive-date=11 December 2024 |url-access=subscription |access-date=19 December 2024 |url-status=live }}</ref> Parasites known to infect the fennec fox include [[Nematode|roundworm]]s such as ''[[Capillaria (nematode)|Capillaria]]''<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Taki |first1=Yahya |last2=Bourquia |first2=Maria |date=2024-04-30 |title=Gastrointestinal and respiratory parasites in captive mammals at Rabat zoo, with the first record of Capillaria spp. in the Fennec fox (Vulpes zerda) |url=https://veterinariaitaliana.izs.it/index.php/VetIt/article/view/2856 |journal=Veterinaria Italiana |language=en |volume=59 |issue=3 |doi=10.12834/VetIt.2856.19877.2 |pmid=38686838 |issn=1828-1427}}</ref> and ''[[Angiostrongylus vasorum]]'',<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Galietta |first1=Valentina |last2=Eleni |first2=Claudia |last3=Raso |first3=Caterina |last4=Cocumelli |first4=Cristiano |last5=Friedrich |first5=Klaus G. |last6=Di Cerbo |first6=Pilar |last7=Iurescia |first7=Manuela |last8=Diaconu |first8=Elena L. |last9=Alba |first9=Patricia |last10=De Liberato |first10=Claudio |date=September 2022 |title=Systemic Infection by Angiostrongylus vasorum in a Fennec (Vulpes zerda) in an Italian Zoological Garden |journal=Pathogens |language=en |volume=11 |issue=9 |page=965 |doi=10.3390/pathogens11090965 |issn=2076-0817 |pmc=9505467 |pmid=36145397 |doi-access=free}}</ref> as well as the [[alveolate]] ''[[Toxoplasma gondii]]''.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Kottwitz |first1=Jack J. |last2=Preziosi |first2=Diane E. |last3=Miller |first3=Margaret A. |last4=Ramos-Vara |first4=Jose A. |last5=Maggs |first5=David J. |last6=Bonagura |first6=John D. |date=2004-11-01 |title=Heart Failure Caused by Toxoplasmosis in a Fennec Fox (Fennecus zerda) |url=https://meridian.allenpress.com/jaaha/article-abstract/40/6/501/176124/Heart-Failure-Caused-by-Toxoplasmosis-in-a-Fennec |journal=Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association |volume=40 |issue=6 |pages=501–507 |doi=10.5326/0400501 |pmid=15533972 |issn=0587-2871|url-access=subscription }}</ref>


== Threats ==
== Threats ==
Line 77: Line 76:


=== Conservation ===
=== Conservation ===
As of 2015, the fennec fox is classified as [[Least concern]] on the [[IUCN Red List]].<ref name=iucn/> It is listed in [[CITES Appendix II]] and is protected in Morocco and Western Sahara, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt, where it has been documented in several protected areas.<ref name=iucn/> Another measure taken to conserve the species is the placement of individuals in captive environments such as zoos. Educational programs are also promoted to further this initiative.<ref name=":3" />
As of 2015, the fennec fox is classified as of [[least concern]] on the [[IUCN Red List]].<ref name=iucn/> It is listed in [[CITES Appendix II]] and is protected in Morocco and Western Sahara, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt, where it has been documented in several protected areas.<ref name=iucn/> Another measure taken to conserve the species is the placement of individuals in captive environments such as zoos. Educational programs are also promoted to further this initiative.<ref name="Dempsey-2009" />


== Interactions with humans ==
== Interactions with humans ==
Line 85: Line 84:
[[File:Die Gartenlaube (1875) b 033.jpg|thumb|alt="A greyscale sketch of a group of long eared foxes on a rocky outcrop in a desert. There is a crumbling brick building to the left and two of the foxes are on lookout."|A drawing of a skulk of fennec foxes by [[Gustav Mützel]], 1876]]
[[File:Die Gartenlaube (1875) b 033.jpg|thumb|alt="A greyscale sketch of a group of long eared foxes on a rocky outcrop in a desert. There is a crumbling brick building to the left and two of the foxes are on lookout."|A drawing of a skulk of fennec foxes by [[Gustav Mützel]], 1876]]


The fennec fox is the [[National symbols of Algeria|national animal]] of [[Algeria]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Hodges |first=K. |year=2012 |title=National Animals of African Countries |url=http://african.howzit.msn.com/national-animals-of-african-countries?page=10 |access-date=19 February 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225172955/http://african.howzit.msn.com/national-animals-of-african-countries?page=10 |archive-date=25 February 2014}}</ref> It also serves as the nickname for the [[Algeria national football team]] "Les Fennecs".<ref>{{cite web |author=Fifa |title=Paris salutes Les Fennecs |date=2009 |publisher=Fifa |url=http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid%3D1137333/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100601025618/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid%3D1137333/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2010-06-01}}</ref> The species is depicted in ''[[The Little Prince]]'', a 1943 novella by [[Antoine de Saint-Exupéry]] which follows the story of a pilot who is forced to make an emergency plane landing in the remote Sahara Desert.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-11-01 |title=The Amazigh Adventures of Le Petit Prince |url=https://www.aramcoworld.com/articles/2017/the-amazigh-adventures-of-le-petit-prince |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=www.aramcoworld.com |language=en}}</ref> In 2000, the fennec fox was portrayed on the cover of a  [[Ranger Rick|''Ranger Rick'' magazine]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Dobrin |first1=Sidney I. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zWO3VdPs8wIC&dq=fennec+fox+human+culture+literature&pg=PA168 |title=Wild Things: Children's Culture and Ecocriticism |last2=Kidd |first2=Kenneth B. |date=2004 |publisher=Wayne State University Press |isbn=978-0-8143-3028-9 |pages=168 |language=en}}</ref> In [[Roman literature|Roman art and literature]], there is dearth of depictions of fox species in general. However, according to [[Martial's Epigrams|Martial's ''Epigrams'']] which describes the "long-eared fox" as a popular pet, it is likely that the fennec fox was kept as an exotic pet in the [[Roman Empire|Roman empire]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Lewis |first1=Sian |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GvJFDwAAQBAJ&dq=Fennec+fox+in+literature&pg=PT372 |title=The Culture of Animals in Antiquity: A Sourcebook with Commentaries |last2=Llewellyn-Jones |first2=Lloyd |date=2018-01-09 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-351-78249-4 |language=en}}</ref> Additionally, the species has made appearances as ''Fenneko'' in the animed TV series ''[[Aggretsuko]].''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hanaway |first=Tom |date=2018-05-19 |title=Sanrio characters in 'Aggretsuko' reflect the realities of life at work — rage included |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/05/19/national/media-national/sanrio-characters-reflect-realities-life-work-rage-included/ |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=The Japan Times |language=en}}</ref>
The fennec fox is the [[National symbols of Algeria|national animal]] of [[Algeria]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Hodges |first=K. |year=2012 |title=National Animals of African Countries |url=http://african.howzit.msn.com/national-animals-of-african-countries?page=10 |access-date=19 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225172955/http://african.howzit.msn.com/national-animals-of-african-countries?page=10 |archive-date=25 February 2014}}</ref> It also serves as the nickname for the [[Algeria national football team]] "Les Fennecs".<ref>{{cite web |author=Fifa |title=Paris salutes Les Fennecs |date=2009 |publisher=Fifa |url=http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid%3D1137333/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100601025618/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid%3D1137333/index.html |archive-date=2010-06-01}}</ref> The species is depicted in ''[[The Little Prince]]'', a 1943 novella by [[Antoine de Saint-Exupéry]] which follows the story of a pilot who is forced to make an emergency plane landing in the remote Sahara Desert.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-11-01 |title=The Amazigh Adventures of Le Petit Prince |url=https://www.aramcoworld.com/articles/2017/the-amazigh-adventures-of-le-petit-prince |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=www.aramcoworld.com |language=en}}</ref> In 2000, the fennec fox was portrayed on the cover of a  [[Ranger Rick|''Ranger Rick'' magazine]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Dobrin |first1=Sidney I. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zWO3VdPs8wIC&dq=fennec+fox+human+culture+literature&pg=PA168 |title=Wild Things: Children's Culture and Ecocriticism |last2=Kidd |first2=Kenneth B. |date=2004 |publisher=Wayne State University Press |isbn=978-0-8143-3028-9 |page=168 |language=en}}</ref> In [[Roman literature|Roman art and literature]], there is dearth of depictions of fox species in general. However, according to [[Martial's Epigrams|Martial's ''Epigrams'']], which describes the "long-eared fox" as a popular pet, it is likely that the fennec fox was kept as an exotic pet in the [[Roman Empire|Roman empire]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Lewis |first1=Sian |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GvJFDwAAQBAJ&dq=Fennec+fox+in+literature&pg=PT372 |title=The Culture of Animals in Antiquity: A Sourcebook with Commentaries |last2=Llewellyn-Jones |first2=Lloyd |date=2018-01-09 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-351-78249-4 |language=en}}</ref> Additionally, the species has made appearances as ''Fenneko'' in the anime TV series ''[[Aggretsuko]].''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hanaway |first=Tom |date=2018-05-19 |title=Sanrio characters in 'Aggretsuko' reflect the realities of life at work — rage included |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/05/19/national/media-national/sanrio-characters-reflect-realities-life-work-rage-included/ |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=The Japan Times |language=en}}</ref>


=== In captivity ===
=== In captivity ===


The fennec fox is bred commercially as an [[exotic pet]].<ref name=Asa2013/> Commercial breeders remove the pups from their mother to hand-raise them, as tame foxes are more valuable. A breeders' registry has been set up in the United States to avoid any problems associated with inbreeding.<ref>{{cite book |title=Domestication |last=Roots |first=C. |year=2007 |publisher=Greenwood |location=Westport |isbn=978-0-313-33987-5 |pages=113–114 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Tbz2mkzbpw8C}}</ref> As of 2020, 15 US states authorized the ownership of foxes without the need for a document, although one is also allowed.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Misfeldt |first=Abigail |date=2020-01-01 |title=To what extent has the relationship between humans and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) evolved throughout history? |url=https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/envstudtheses/283/#:~:text=Red%20foxes%20are%20one%20of,or%20simply%20a%20neutral%20one. |journal=Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses}}</ref> Due to poor diet, captive foxes have been known to grow to abnormally large sizes.<ref name=":3" />
The fennec fox is bred commercially as an [[exotic pet]].<ref name="Cuzin, F.A.-2013"/> Commercial breeders remove the pups from their mother to hand-raise them, as tame foxes are more valuable. A breeders' registry has been set up in the United States to avoid any problems associated with inbreeding.<ref>{{cite book |title=Domestication |last=Roots |first=C. |year=2007 |publisher=Greenwood |location=Westport |isbn=978-0-313-33987-5 |pages=113–114 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Tbz2mkzbpw8C}}</ref> As of 2020, 15 US states authorized the ownership of foxes without the need for a document, although one is also allowed.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Misfeldt |first=Abigail |date=2020-01-01 |title=To what extent has the relationship between humans and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) evolved throughout history? |url=https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/envstudtheses/283/#:~:text=Red%20foxes%20are%20one%20of,or%20simply%20a%20neutral%20one. |journal=Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses}}</ref> Due to inappropriate diet, captive foxes have been known to grow to abnormally large sizes.<ref name="Dempsey-2009" />


Captive foxes have often been recorded exhibiting [[Stereotypy (non-human)|stereotyped behaviors]]; this may due to the insufficient environments they are placed in. When noises from [[zookeeper]]s and visitors alike are produced, foxes often respond by pacing repeatedly. Similarly, in one case, two male individuals in the [[National Zoological Park (United States)|National Zoological Park]] spend the majority of their time pacing around their enclosures. It is suggested that larger, outdoor, enclosures may help reduce stereotyped behaviors, as they provide more space for foxes to flee from perceived danger and hide in a provided safe spot.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Carlstead |first=Kathy |date=1991 |title=Husbandry of the Fennec fox: Fennecus zerda: environmental conditions influencing stereotypic behaviour |url=https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1748-1090.1991.tb03487.x |journal=International Zoo Yearbook |language=en |volume=30 |issue=1 |pages=202–207 |doi=10.1111/j.1748-1090.1991.tb03487.x |issn=1748-1090|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
Captive foxes have often been recorded exhibiting [[Stereotypy (non-human)|stereotyped behaviors]]; this may due to the insufficient environments they are placed in. When noises from [[zookeeper]]s and visitors alike are produced, foxes often respond by pacing repeatedly. Similarly, in one case, two male individuals in the [[National Zoological Park (United States)|National Zoological Park]] spend the majority of their time pacing around their enclosures. Larger, outdoor enclosures may help reduce stereotyped behaviors, as they provide more space for foxes to flee from perceived danger and hide in a provided safe spot.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Carlstead |first=Kathy |date=1991 |title=Husbandry of the Fennec fox: Fennecus zerda: environmental conditions influencing stereotypic behaviour |url=https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1748-1090.1991.tb03487.x |journal=International Zoo Yearbook |language=en |volume=30 |issue=1 |pages=202–207 |doi=10.1111/j.1748-1090.1991.tb03487.x |issn=1748-1090|url-access=subscription }}</ref>


== References==
== References==

Latest revision as of 02:03, 30 October 2025

Template:Short description Template:Pp-semi-indef Template:Good article Template:Use dmy dates Template:Speciesbox

The fennec fox (Vulpes zerda) is a small fox native to the deserts of North Africa, ranging from Western Sahara and Mauritania to the Sinai Peninsula. Its most distinctive feature is its unusually large ears, which serve to dissipate heat and listen for underground prey. The fennec is the smallest fox species. Its coat, ears, and kidney functions have adapted to the desert environment with high temperatures and little water.

The fennec fox mainly eats insects, small mammals and birds. It has a life span of up to 14 years in captivity and about 10 years in the wild. Pups are preyed upon by the Pharaoh eagle-owl; both adults and pups may fall prey to jackals and striped hyenas. Fennec families dig out burrows in the sand for habitation and protection, which can be as large as Template:Cvt and adjoin the burrows of other families. Precise population figures are not known but are estimated from the frequency of sightings; these indicate that the fennec fox is currently not threatened by extinction. Knowledge of social interactions is limited to information gathered from captive animals. The fennec fox is commonly trapped for exhibition or sale in North Africa, and it is considered an exotic pet in some parts of the world.

Taxonomy and phylogeny

The fennec fox was scientifically described as Canis zerda by Eberhardt Zimmermann in 1780.[1][2][3] In 1788, Johann Friedrich Gmelin gave the species the synonym of Canis cerdo with the type locality being the Sahara Desert.[4] A few years later, Friedrich Albrecht Anton Meyer assigned the name Viverra aurita to the species in 1793;[5] the type locality was Algeria. Subsequent synonyms include Fennecus arabicus by Anselme Gaëtan Desmarest in 1804;[6] Megalotis cerda by Johann Karl Wilhelm Illiger in 1811[7] which was based on earlier descriptions by Gmelin, and another synonym by Desmarest (Fennecus brucei) in 1820; the type locality was Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Sudan. In 1827, the species was given another synonym (Canis fennecus) by René Lesson whose work was largely based on the species scientific description in 1780.[8] In the 1840s, the species received synonyms by Pierre Boitard in 1842 (Vulpes denhamii)[9] and John Edward Gray in 1843 (Vulpes zuarensis).[10] The type localities of these were "interior of Africa" and Egypt, respectively. In 1978 Gordon Barclay Corbet renamed the species to Vulpes zerda,[11] its current scientific name.[3] It was originally assigned to the genus Canis, but following molecular analysis it was moved to Vulpes despite having some distinct morphological and behavioral traits.[12]

According to DNA evidence, the closest living relative to the fennec fox is the Blanford's fox. They are two of eight "desert fox" species, which is a group of Vulpes that share comparable ecologies. The other members include the corsac fox, pale fox, kit fox, Tibetan fox, Rüppell's fox and Cape fox. All eight species evolved to survive in desert environments, developing several traits such as sandy colored coats, large ears, pigmented eyes, and specialized kidneys.[13] The word fennec is derived from the Arabic word fanak which likely has Persian origins.[14]

The fennec fox is one of 13 extant Vulpes species and a member of the family Canidae.[12]

Description

File:Fennecus zerda 05 MWNH 1387.JPG
Skull of a fennec fox

The fennec fox has sand-colored fur which reflects sunlight during the day and helps keep it warm at night. Its nose is black and its tapering tail has a black tip. Its long ears have longitudinal reddish stripes on the back and are so densely haired inside that the external auditory meatus is not visible.[15] The edges of the ears are whitish, but darker on the back. The ear to body ratio is the greatest in the canid family and likely helps in dissipating heat and locating prey. It has large, dense kidneys with somewhat compact medulla, which help store water in times of scarcity. It has dark streaks running from the inner eye to either side of the slender muzzle. Its large eyes are dark. The dental formula is Template:DentalFormula with small and narrow canines. The pads of its paws are covered with dense fur, which facilitates walking on hot, sandy soil.[16][17][18]

The fennec fox is the smallest canid species. Females range in head-to-body size from Template:Cvt with a Template:Cvt long tail and Template:Cvt long ears, and weigh Template:Cvt. Males are slightly larger, ranging in head-to-body size from Template:Cvt with a Template:Cvt long tail and Template:Cvt long ears, weighing at least Template:Cvt.[16]

Distribution and habitat

The fennec fox is distributed throughout the Sahara, from Morocco and Mauritania to northern Sudan, through Egypt and its Sinai Peninsula.[19] It inhabits small sand dunes and vast treeless sand areas with sparse vegetation such as grasses, sedges and small shrubs.[16][20] In the northern part of its range annual rainfalls have been recorded at <100 mm compared to 300 mm in its southern range.[19][21] The fennec fox's range likely overlaps with that of other canines such as the golden jackal and Rüppell's fox. Compared to these canids, the fennec fox seems to inhabit areas with more extreme climate and has been known to build burrows in grainier surfaces; this adaptation gives it an edge over competitors.[19][22][16]

Behaviour and ecology

Behaviour

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File:Desert fennec . Sahara fox in Morocco.jpg
Fennec fox in the Moroccan Sahara

Fennec foxes are primarily nocturnal, displaying heightened activity during the cooler nighttime hours.[23] This behaviour helps them escape the extreme Saharan heat and reduces water loss through panting.[24] A fennec fox digs its den in sand, either in open areas or places sheltered by plants with stable sand dunes. In compacted soils, dens are up to Template:Cvt large, with up to 15 different entrances. In some cases, different families interconnect their dens, or locate them close together. In soft, looser sand, dens tend to be simpler with only one entrance leading to a single chamber.[16]

Captive individuals reside in family groups. Fennec foxes exhibit playful behavior, especially among younger individuals.[25]

Hunting and diet

The fennec fox is omnivorous, feeding on small rodents, lizards (geckos and skinks), small birds and their eggs, insects, fruits, leaves, roots and also some tubers.[26] It relies on the moisture content of prey, but drinks water when available.[16] It hunts alone and digs in the sand for small vertebrates and insects. Some individuals were observed to bury prey for later consumption and searching for food in the vicinity of human settlements.[27]

In the Algerian Sahara, 114 scat samples were collected that contained more than 400 insects, plant fragments and date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) fruits, remains of birds, mammals, squamata and insects.[28]

Reproduction

File:Fenecs (crop).jpg
Male fennec fox mounting a female

Fennec foxes mate for life.[29] Captive animals reach sexual maturity at around nine months and mate between January and April.[30][31] Female fennec foxes are in estrus for an average of 24 hours and usually breed once per year; the copulation tie lasts up to two hours and 45 minutes.[32] Gestation usually lasts between 50 and 52 days, though sometimes up to 63 days.[33][34] After mating, the male becomes aggressive and protects the female, and provides her with food during pregnancy and lactation.[35] Females give birth between March and June to a litter of one to four pups that open their eyes after 8 to 11 days.[34][31] Both female and male care for the pups. They communicate by barking, purring, yapping and squeaking. Pups remain in the family even after a new litter is born.[30] The pups are weaned at the age of 61 to 70 days.[36] Adults rear pups until they are around 16 to 17 weeks old.[29] The average lifespan in the wild is 10 years.[12] The oldest captive male fennec fox was 14 years old, and the oldest female 13 years.[16]

Predators, parasites and diseases

African horned owl species such as the Pharaoh eagle-owl prey on fennec fox pups. Anecdotal reports exist about jackals and striped hyenas also preying on the fennec fox. But according to nomads, the fennec fox is fast and changes directions so well that even their Salukis are hardly ever able to capture it.[16]

Captive fennec foxes are susceptible to canine distemper virus, displaying fever, mucopurulent ocular discharge, diarrhea, severe emaciation, seizures, generalized ataxia, severe dehydration, brain congestion, gastric ulcers and death. Stress because of capture and long-distance transportation are thought to be the causes.[37] In 2012, a study reported a case of Trichophyton mentagrophytes, a fungus species, in a 2-year-old male. It died not too long after contracting the pathogen from anorexia and icterus.[38] A 2019 review of the deaths of fennec foxes due to medical conditions or pathogens at the Bronx and Prospect Park Zoos since 1980 found that the majority of such deaths were attributed to neoplasia and infection. Most foxes developed infections or medical conditions from atopic dermatitis and other dermatologic diseases, as well as trauma.[39] Parasites known to infect the fennec fox include roundworms such as Capillaria[40] and Angiostrongylus vasorum,[41] as well as the alveolate Toxoplasma gondii.[42]

Threats

In North Africa, the fennec fox is commonly trapped for exhibition or sale to tourists. Expansion of permanent human settlements in southern Morocco caused its disappearance in these areas and restricted it to marginal areas. Other factors such as roadwork, seismic surveys, mining, oil fields, commercial expansion and the increased number of human communities in their range are cited as potential threats.[19]

Conservation

As of 2015, the fennec fox is classified as of least concern on the IUCN Red List.[19] It is listed in CITES Appendix II and is protected in Morocco and Western Sahara, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt, where it has been documented in several protected areas.[19] Another measure taken to conserve the species is the placement of individuals in captive environments such as zoos. Educational programs are also promoted to further this initiative.[25]

Interactions with humans

In culture

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"A greyscale sketch of a group of long eared foxes on a rocky outcrop in a desert. There is a crumbling brick building to the left and two of the foxes are on lookout."
A drawing of a skulk of fennec foxes by Gustav Mützel, 1876

The fennec fox is the national animal of Algeria.[43] It also serves as the nickname for the Algeria national football team "Les Fennecs".[44] The species is depicted in The Little Prince, a 1943 novella by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry which follows the story of a pilot who is forced to make an emergency plane landing in the remote Sahara Desert.[45] In 2000, the fennec fox was portrayed on the cover of a Ranger Rick magazine.[46] In Roman art and literature, there is dearth of depictions of fox species in general. However, according to Martial's Epigrams, which describes the "long-eared fox" as a popular pet, it is likely that the fennec fox was kept as an exotic pet in the Roman empire.[47] Additionally, the species has made appearances as Fenneko in the anime TV series Aggretsuko.[48]

In captivity

The fennec fox is bred commercially as an exotic pet.[27] Commercial breeders remove the pups from their mother to hand-raise them, as tame foxes are more valuable. A breeders' registry has been set up in the United States to avoid any problems associated with inbreeding.[49] As of 2020, 15 US states authorized the ownership of foxes without the need for a document, although one is also allowed.[50] Due to inappropriate diet, captive foxes have been known to grow to abnormally large sizes.[25]

Captive foxes have often been recorded exhibiting stereotyped behaviors; this may due to the insufficient environments they are placed in. When noises from zookeepers and visitors alike are produced, foxes often respond by pacing repeatedly. Similarly, in one case, two male individuals in the National Zoological Park spend the majority of their time pacing around their enclosures. Larger, outdoor enclosures may help reduce stereotyped behaviors, as they provide more space for foxes to flee from perceived danger and hide in a provided safe spot.[51]

References

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  1. ↑ Zimmermann, E. A. W. 1780. Geographische Geschichte des Menschen, und der vierfussigen Thiere. Weygandschen Buchhandlung, Leipzig, Germany 2:1-432.
  2. ↑ Template:MSW3 Wozencraft
  3. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ Gmelin, J. F. 1788. Revision of 'Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis synonymis, locis' by C. Linnaeus. G. E. Beir, Lipsiae, Germany 1:1-232.
  5. ↑ Meyer, F. A. A. 1793. Systematisch-summarische Uebersicht der neuesten zoologischen Entdeckungen in Neuholland und Africa. Zoologische Annelen (Weimar) 1:xxvi-412.
  6. ↑ Desmarest, A. G. 1804. Nouveau dictionnaire d'histoire naturelle, appliquee aux arts, principalement a l' agriculture et a l'economie rurale et domestique: par une societe de naturalistes et d' agriculteurs: avec des figures tirees des trois regnes de la nature. Deterville, Paris, France 24: 1-238
  7. ↑ Illiger, J. K. W. 1811. Prodromus systematis mammalicim et avium. Sumptibus C. Salfeld, Berlin, Germany.
  8. ↑ Lesson, R.-P. 1827. Manuel de mammalogie ou histoire naturelle des mammiferes. Roret, Paris, France.
  9. ↑ Boitard, M. 1842. Le jardin des plantes: description et moeurs des mammiferes de la menagerie et du museum d'histoire naturelle. J.-1. Dubochet, Paris, France.
  10. ↑ Gray, J. E. 1843. List of the specimens of Mammalia in the collection of the British Museum. British Museum of Natural History, London.
  11. ↑ Corbet, G. B. 1978. The mammals of the Palaearctic region, a taxonomic review. British Museum of Natural History and Cornell University Press, London.
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  21. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  22. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  23. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  24. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
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  26. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  27. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  30. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  31. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
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  35. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
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  40. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  41. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  42. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  43. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  44. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  45. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  46. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  47. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  48. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  49. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  50. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  51. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
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