Common Name: Bat Eared Fox Scientific Name: Otocyon megalotis
LEAST CONCERN Bat Eared Fox Distribution:
Bat eared foxes have light brown fur on their backs and darker fur on their ears, lower legs and feet, which make them look like they have dark socks on! However they are named after their enormous ears, which can be up to 12cm in length!!
Africa
Habitat: Grassland Height: Approx. 60m Weight: 3kg - 4kg Diet: Carnivorous Mainly insects.
This carnivore is found in Africa from Ethiopia to Tanzania and from Angola and Zimbabwe to South Africa where it inhabits the grassland and savannah. They live in underground burrows, which can be found throughout its territory. Bat-eared Foxes usually feed at night and have been known to forage up to 12Km from their den in any one night. Their diet is varied it mostly consists of insects, termites and ants. However they have also been known to eat small rodents, vegetable matter and even the eggs of ground nesting birds. The Bat-eared Fox can be found mainly in groups of between 2-5, usually a mating male and female and the young from the previous year. Depending upon the availability of food, some groups openly forage very close together, but if food is in demand then territories are commonly seen. The breeding season runs between June and August and leads to litters of between 2-6 young, with the young fully grown after 6 months.