Thefennec fox (Vulpes zerda) is a smallfox native to thedeserts ofNorth Africa, ranging fromWestern Sahara andMauritania to theSinai 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 haveadapted to the desert environment with high temperatures and little water.
The fennec fox mainly eatsinsects, smallmammals andbirds. It has a life span of up to 14 years in captivity and about 10 years in the wild. Pups are preyed upon by thePharaoh eagle-owl; both adults and pups may possibly fall prey tojackals andstriped hyenas. Fennec families dig outburrows in the sand for habitation and protection, which can be as large as 120 m2 (1,300 sq ft) 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 byextinction. 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 anexotic pet in some parts of the world.
Taxonomy and phylogeny
The fennec fox wasscientifically described asCanis zerda byEberhardt Zimmermann in 1780.[3][4][2] In 1788,Johann Friedrich Gmelin gave the species the synonym ofCanis cerdo with thetype locality being theSahara Desert.[5] A few years later,Friedrich Albrecht Anton Meyer assigned the nameViverra aurita to the species in 1793;[6] the type locality was Algeria. Subsequent synonyms includeFennecus arabicus byAnselme Gaëtan Desmarest in 1804;[7]Megalotis cerda byJohann Karl Wilhelm Illiger in 1811[8] 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) byRené Lesson whose work was largely based on the species scientific description in 1780.[9] In the 1840s, the species received synonyms byPierre Boitard in 1842 (Vulpes denhamii)[10] andJohn Edward Gray in 1843 (Vulpes zuarensis).[11] The type localities of these were "interior of Africa" andEgypt, respectively. In 1978 Gordon Barclay Corbet renamed the species toVulpes zerda,[12] its currentscientific name.[2] It was originally assigned to the genusCanis, but following molecular analysis it was moved toVulpes despite having some distinct morphological and behavioral traits.[13]
According to DNA evidence, the closest living relative to the fennec fox is theBlanford's fox. They are two of eight "desert fox" species, which is a group ofVulpes that share comparable ecologies. The other members include thecorsac fox,pale fox,kit fox,Tibetan fox,Rüppell's fox andCape 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.[14] The wordfennec is derived from the Arabic wordfanak which likely has Persian origins.[15]
The fennec fox is one of 13 extantVulpes species and a member of the familyCanidae.[13]
Description
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 theexternal auditory meatus is not visible.[16] The edges of the ears are whitish, but darker on the back. The ear to body ratio is the greatest in thecanid family and likely helps in dissipating heat and locating prey. It has large, densekidneys 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 is3.1.4.23.1.4.3 × 2 = 42 with small and narrowcanines. The pads of its paws are covered with dense fur, which facilitates walking on hot, sandy soil.[17][18][19]
The fennec fox is the smallestcanid species. Females range in head-to-body size from 34.5 to 39.5 cm (13.6 to 15.6 in) with a 23–25 cm (9.1–9.8 in) long tail and 9–9.5 cm (3.5–3.7 in) long ears, and weigh 1–1.9 kg (2.2–4.2 lb). Males are slightly larger, ranging in head-to-body size from 39 to 39.5 cm (15.4 to 15.6 in) with a 23–25 cm (9.1–9.8 in) long tail and 10 cm (3.9 in) long ears, weighing at least 1.3 kg (2.9 lb).[17]
Distribution and habitat
The fennec fox is distributed throughout the Sahara, fromMorocco andMauritania to northernSudan, throughEgypt and itsSinai Peninsula.[1] It inhabits small sand dunes and vast treeless sand areas with sparse vegetation such as grasses,sedges and small shrubs.[17][20] In the northern part of its range annual rainfalls have been recorded at <100 mm compared to 300 mm in its southern range.[1][21] The fennec fox's range likely overlaps with that of other canines such as thegolden jackal andRüppell'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.[1][22][17]
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 stablesand dunes. In compacted soils, dens are up to 120 m2 (1,300 sq ft) 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.[17]
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 smallrodents,lizards (geckos andskinks), small birds and their eggs, insects, fruits,leaves,roots and also sometubers.[26] It relies on the moisture content of prey, but drinks water when available.[17]It hunts alone and digs in the sand for smallvertebrates andinsects. 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 anddate palm (Phoenix dactylifera) fruits, remains of birds, mammals,squamata and insects.[28]
Reproduction
Male fennec fox mounting a female
Fennec foxesmate for life.[29] Captive animals reachsexual maturity at around nine months and mate between January and April.[30][31] Female fennec foxes are inestrus for an average of 24 hours and usually breed once per year; thecopulation 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 very aggressive and protects the female, and provides her with food during pregnancy andlactation.[35] Females give birth between March and June to alitter 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 areweaned 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.[13] The oldest captive male fennec fox was 14 years old, and the oldest female 13 years.[17]
Predators, parasites and diseases
Africanhorned owl species such as thePharaoh eagle-owl prey on fennec fox pups. Anecdotal reports exist aboutjackals andstriped hyenas also preying on the fennec fox. But according to nomads, the fennec fox is fast and changes directions so well that even theirSalukis are hardly ever able to capture it.[17]
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 asroadwork,seismic surveys,mining,oil fields, commercial expansion and the increased number of human communities in their range are cited as potential threats.[1]
Conservation
As of 2015, the fennec fox is classified asLeast concern on theIUCN Red List.[1] It is listed inCITES Appendix II and is protected in Morocco and Western Sahara, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt, where it has been documented in several protected areas.[1] 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]
The fennec fox is bred commercially as anexotic 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 poor diet, captive foxes have been known to grow to abnormally large sizes.[25]
Captive foxes have often been recorded exhibitingstereotyped behaviors; this may due to the insufficient environments they are placed in. When noises fromzookeepers and visitors alike are produced, foxes often respond by pacing repeatedly. Similarly, in one case, two male individuals in theNational 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.[51]
^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.
^Meyer, F. A. A. 1793. Systematisch-summarische Uebersicht derneuesten zoologischen Entdeckungen in Neuholland und Africa. Zoologische Annelen (Weimar) 1:xxvi-412.
^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
^Illiger, J. K. W. 1811. Prodromus systematis mammalicim et avium. Sumptibus C. Salfeld, Berlin, Germany.
^Lesson, R.-P. 1827.Manuel de mammalogie ou histoire naturelle des mammiferes. Roret, Paris, France.
^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.
^Gray, J. E. 1843. List of the specimens of Mammalia in the collection of the British Museum. British Museum of Natural History, London.
^Corbet, G. B. 1978.The mammals of the Palaearctic region, a taxonomic review. British Museum of Natural History and Cornell University Press, London.
^"Fennec".Dictionary.com. Retrieved19 December 2024.
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^Karssene, Y.; Chammem, M.; Li, F.; Eddine, A.; Hermann, A. & Nouira, S. (2019). "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".Mammalian Biology.95 (1):41–50.Bibcode:2019MamBi..95...41K.doi:10.1016/j.mambio.2019.02.001.S2CID91615641.
^Carlstead, K. (1990). "Husbandry of the Fennec fox:Fennecus zerda: environmental conditions influencing stereotypic behaviour".International Zoo Yearbook.30 (1): 202.doi:10.1111/j.1748-1090.1990.tb01164.x (inactive 19 December 2024).{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of December 2024 (link)
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