The fennec fox is the smallest member of the dog family, weighing only about 0.9 to 1.4 kg. It lives in the deserts of North Africa, Sinai and Arabia. Its huge ears, up to 15 cm long, let body heat escape and hear prey under the sand. It hunts at night, sleeps in burrows by day and gets almost all its water from food.
fennec foxes quick facts
- The fennec fox is the smallest member of the dog family.
- Its ears can be half as long as its body.
- Fennec foxes can go without drinking for long periods.
- A fennec can jump about 1 m high from standing.
- Its burrow tunnels can be up to 10 m long.
What is a fennec fox?
The fennec fox is a tiny fox that lives in the deserts of North Africa. The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Animal Diversity Web say it is the smallest member of the whole dog family, which includes dogs, wolves and foxes.
Fennec foxes are famous for their enormous ears. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance says a fennec’s ears can be half as long as its body.
They are also perfectly built for desert life. They can survive the burning heat of the day, the chilly desert nights and long periods without drinking water.
| Fennec fox at a glance | |
|---|---|
| Where | deserts of North Africa, Sinai and Arabia |
| Head and body | about 36 to 41 cm (14 to 16 inches) |
| Ears | about 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 inches) |
| Weight | about 0.9 to 1.4 kg (2 to 3 pounds) |
| Food | insects, rodents, lizards, eggs, fruit and roots |
| Lifespan | up to about 10 years in the wild |
| Status | Least Concern |
How big is a fennec fox?
Fennec foxes are very small. The National Zoo says their head and body measure only about 36 to 41 cm (14 to 16 inches) long, and their bushy tail adds another 18 to 30 cm.
Animal Diversity Web says a fennec stands only about 18 to 22 cm tall at the shoulder, about the height of a ruler standing on its end.
An adult fennec weighs about 0.9 to 1.4 kg (2 to 3 pounds), the National Zoo says. That is about as much as a pineapple, and lighter than many pet cats.
Where do fennec foxes live?
The National Zoo says fennec foxes live in North Africa, across the Sahara Desert, and east into the Sinai Peninsula and Arabia.
Animal Diversity Web says their range stretches from northern Morocco east to Kuwait, and south as far as northern Nigeria and Chad.
They prefer sandy deserts and dry places with desert grasses or a few scrubby bushes. The National Zoo says fennec foxes are protected by law in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt.
The Sahara is also home to other rare animals, such as the Saharan cheetah. Learn about that big cat in our cheetah facts.
Amazing ears
A fennec’s ears are about 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 inches) long, the National Zoo says. Compared with its small body, they are huge.
Those big ears do two important jobs. First, they help the fox keep cool. The National Zoo and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance say the ears let body heat escape, like built-in radiators.
Second, they are superb at hearing. The National Zoo says a fennec can hear insects and small animals moving under the sand. It then digs them out using all four feet.
The Arctic fox, which lives in the freezing north, has the opposite shape: short, rounded ears that lose less heat. Compare the two in our Arctic fox facts.
A desert coat
The National Zoo says a fennec’s coat ranges from reddish cream to light fawn to almost white, which blends in with the sand.
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance says the thick coat keeps the fox warm on cold desert nights, and reflects sunlight during the day.
Even the soles of its feet are covered in thick fur. The National Zoo says this protects its paw pads from burning-hot sand, and helps it grip loose ground, a bit like snowshoes on snow.
Animal Diversity Web says a fennec’s eyes have a mirror-like layer at the back that helps it see in the dark. Its eyes, nose and whiskers are all black.
Beating the heat
Deserts can be scorching hot in the day. Fennec foxes have clever ways to cope.
When it gets too hot, a fennec pants to cool down. The National Zoo says its breathing can jump from 23 breaths a minute to as many as 690.
Fennec foxes also avoid the worst of the heat. The National Zoo says they hunt at night and hide in cool burrows during the hottest part of the day.
Life without water holes
Water is scarce in the desert, but fennec foxes manage without it. Animal Diversity Web says they can go without drinking for long periods, and possibly for good.
How? The fruit, leaves, roots and prey they eat supply almost all the water they need. That means a fennec does not have to find a water hole to survive.
Underground homes
Fennec foxes are expert diggers. The National Zoo says their tunnels can reach up to 10 m (32 feet) long.
Animal Diversity Web says they often dig under desert bushes, so the plant roots hold up the tunnel walls. Burrows have several escape exits, and the mother lines her nest room with soft leaves.
Digging is an instinct. Animal Diversity Web says fennecs raised in laboratories still try to dig in their cages, even though they have never lived in the desert.
Night-time hunters
Fennec foxes are nocturnal, which means they are active at night. When the desert cools down after sunset, they come out to hunt.
Animal Diversity Web says they hunt by stalking their prey, then springing up and pouncing. The National Zoo says a fennec can jump about 1 m (3 feet) high from a standing start.
They are quick runners too. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance says fennec foxes can run at about 32 km/h (20 mph).
What do fennec foxes eat?
Fennec foxes eat almost anything they can find. The National Zoo, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and Animal Diversity Web say they eat insects, especially grasshoppers and locusts, as well as rodents, lizards, snails, birds and eggs.
They eat plants too, including roots, fruit and leaves. Animals that eat both plants and animals are called omnivores.
Being able to eat many different foods is useful in the desert, where food can be hard to find.
Fennec fox families
Fennec foxes live in family groups. The National Zoo and Animal Diversity Web say a group can have up to about 10 foxes, and neighbouring dens are sometimes close together or even joined.
Animal Diversity Web says fennec pairs mate for life, and each pair has its own territory. They mark it with scent from their urine and droppings.
Fennecs are very noisy. The National Zoo and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance say they bark, whimper, whine, chatter, squeak, shriek, growl and howl.
Baby fennec foxes
Baby fennec foxes are called kits. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and Animal Diversity Web say fennecs mate in January and February, and the kits are born in March or April.
The National Zoo says the mother is pregnant for about 50 to 53 days, and a litter usually has two to five kits. Animal Diversity Web says a newborn kit weighs only about 50 g, about as much as an egg.
The father helps too. The National Zoo says he guards the mother around the birth and brings her food until the kits are about four weeks old.
The National Zoo says kits open their eyes at about 8 to 11 days old, can walk at about two weeks, and drink their mother’s milk for about 10 weeks. They are grown up at around 9 to 11 months.
How long do fennec foxes live?
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and Animal Diversity Web say fennec foxes can live up to about 10 years in the wild. In zoos, they can live to 11 to 13 years.
Scientists know little about what hunts fennec foxes. Animal Diversity Web says birds of prey or hyenas might catch one that is out of its burrow.
Fennec foxes and people
The IUCN Red List lists the fennec fox as Least Concern, which means it is not currently at risk of dying out.
But people do cause problems. The National Zoo and Animal Diversity Web say fennecs are trapped to be shown or sold, including as pets, and are hunted for sport. Building on their desert homes is a threat too.
A fennec fox is a wild animal that needs space to dig, run and hunt at night. It does not make a good pet. Learn about another fox in our red fox facts.
Three things people get wrong
Fennec ears are not just for hearing. They also help the fox stay cool.
Fennec foxes do not need water holes. They get nearly all their water from food.
Fennec foxes are not good pets. They are wild animals that dig and are busy at night.
Did you know? When it gets too hot, a fennec’s breathing can jump from 23 to 690 breaths a minute.
Try it
Cup your hands behind your ears and listen. Can you hear more? Big ears help fennec foxes hear prey under the sand.
Knowledge check
What two jobs do a fennec’s ears do?
Show answer
They keep it cool and help it hear prey.
How do fennec foxes get water?
Show answer
Mostly from the food they eat.
Frequently asked questions
Where do fennec foxes live?
Fennec foxes live in the deserts of North Africa, across the Sahara, and east into the Sinai Peninsula and Arabia.
Why do fennec foxes have big ears?
Their huge ears let body heat escape, helping them stay cool, and they can hear insects and small animals moving under the sand.
What do fennec foxes eat?
They eat insects such as grasshoppers and locusts, rodents, lizards, snails, birds and eggs, plus roots, fruit and leaves.
How big is a fennec fox?
A fennec fox’s head and body are about 36 to 41 cm long, and it weighs about 0.9 to 1.4 kg, about as much as a pineapple.
Do fennec foxes drink water?
They can go without drinking for long periods, because the plants and animals they eat give them almost all the water they need.
Are fennec foxes endangered?
No. They are listed as Least Concern, but they are threatened in places by trapping for the pet trade and loss of habitat.
Sources
- Smithsonian’s National Zoo: fennec fox — size, range, coat, ears, panting, burrows, diet, family life, kits and threats
- San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance: fennec fox — ears, coat, running speed, breeding season and lifespan
- Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan: fennec fox — measurements, range, water needs, eyes, hunting, burrows, pairs and kits
