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Bat-eared fox - daddy daycare
Bat-eared fox – daddy daycare
By Dr Anina Lee
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I love bat-eared foxes (Otocyon megalotis). They are adorable-looking, they control termite numbers, they are monogamous, and the father cares for the kids.
Let me elaborate. The bat-eared fox is the only living species of the genus Otocyon. They are neither dogs (Genus Canis) nor true foxes (Genus Vulpes). The generic name Otocyon is derived from the Greek words otus for ear and cyon for dog, while the specific name megalotis comes from the Greek words mega for large and otus for ear.
Bat-eared foxes occur only in Africa, in two distinct regions with two different subspecies. Subspecies Otocyon megalotis virgatus occurs in East Africa, from Sudan down to Tanzania.
Otocyon megalotis megalotis appears in the southern part of Africa, ranging from Angola through Namibia and Botswana and all the way to the Cape Peninsula and Cape Agulhas in South Africa.
Bat-eared foxes are adapted to arid or semi-arid environments. They are commonly found in grasslands, and the drier regions of the savannas, preferring bare ground and areas where the grass is kept short by grazing ungulates. They are mainly nocturnal, thus avoiding day-time predators like lions, caracal and jackals. In winter, they may hunt during the day as well.
These cute little canids are relatively small – no more than 3–5 kg and less than half a metre tall. They have thick grey coats, and tails, legs and faces are black. The most remarkable features are the huge ears – black on the outside and whitish inside. These ears are used to regulate the body temperature (a bit like an elephant), but most importantly, they are used to locate prey.
Their prey consists predominantly (80–90%) of harvester termites, but they will also eat other insects, arachnids, lizards and fruit. This makes them the only genuinely insectivorous canid. Bat-eared foxes have up to 50 small sharp teeth, which is more than typical mammals but perfect for eating insects.
Click on the newspaper below to read more (see page 16).
