World's Weirdest Animals: Fennec Fox

Deep in the African desert is an animal so cute you’ll want to take them home. On this episode of world’s weirdest animals, we bring you the fennec fox.

Found in the Sahara and other areas of North Africa the fennec fox is the smallest canine species and the national animal of Algeria. Evolved live in hot dry climates better than most other animals this fox actually shivers if the air temperature drops below 68 degrees Fahrenheit or 20 degrees celsius.

Being the smallest species of fox on the planet these little animals measure 1.3 feet or 41 cm long and weigh around 2.5 lbs or 1.1 kg. They have the largest ears relative to their body size of any canid or member of the dog family. These large ears do 2 things, regulate their body temperature in the hostile environment they live and provide excellent hearing. Their hearing is so good they can detect the movement of creatures underground. Speaking of underground, this is where the fennec fox lives, they dig out dens to live in that can be up to 1300 sq feet or 120 sq meters in size that feature different rooms with multiple entrances. This fox is a highly social animal that lives in colonies of up to 10 foxes. The males are called reynards, females are vixens, the vixens believe it or not will develop to love handles during breeding season. After the babies are born the fennec foxes will live in monogamous pairs with their children.

The fennec fox is a nocturnal animal, as hunting during the day is too hot in the desert, with that said they are able to traverse the hot sands thanks to thick fur that provides a layer of protection on their feet. You might not expect that these tiny foxes pack a powerful jump with their small legs, they can leap 2 feet or 0.6 meters high and 4 feet or 1.2 meters forward to put this into perspective the equivalent for a human would be jumping onto of the far side of a shipping container. The fennec fox lacks the typical butt scent gland like other foxes but on the tip of their tail they possess a unique scent gland that whafts a musky odor when spooked.

A sought after pet due to their cute look, they are in fact not an ideal pet to have. The fennec fox can dig up to 20 feet or 6 meters underground in a single night and can also easily climb outdoor enclosures. For this reason they need to be kenneled when not supervised or they’ll get into everything and escape any normal enclosure built for them. With thousands of dogs needing loving homes, why not just get a dog instead. In captivity the fennec fox can live up to 14 years or in the wild around 10 years. These one of a kind foxes are known to purr like a cat when they are happy. Their call has a jittery sound to it, almost like starting an old car from the 1980s. *play audio clip*

This omnivorous fox has a their diet consisting of fruit, plants, rodents, birds, insects, eggs and rabbits. Their kidneys have evolved to prevent water loss to which they receive adequate water from the fruit and plants they eat. Their only predator in the wild is the eagle owl, the other major predator or threat shall we say is from humans. Considered a threatened species in the wild by many, officially this fox is listed as LC or least concern simply because there isn’t enough data to know. Rapid construction of roads, seismic surveys, exploratory drilling and oil field developments have taken a toll on their numbers. The fennec fox often becomes roadkill as they have no fear of commercial transportation trucks and are generally curious. They are sadly hunted as well for their fur as well.

Source:
https://a-z-animals.com/animals/fennec-fox/

Footage:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jn6VZ43e5Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlymVkimrps
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyYRj_VTFH4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neBot-vK6UU
https://www.flickr.com/photos/tambako/5964400251
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_LG53NM9e8

Check out some of our other videos:

Top 10 Fruits You’ve Never Heard Of Part 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRdgPyZF45g&feature=youtu.be
Top 10 Fruits You’ve Never Heard Of
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKTej1u-7-0&feature=youtu.be

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Intro music thanks to Machinmasound:
Rallying the Defense:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruPk4RD19Nw

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