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The Bat eared Fox Project is kindly sponsored by Volkswagen Fleet UK in association with Volkswagen Fundamentally Fleet
The Bat-Eared Fox (Otocyon megalotis) Order Carnivora Family Canidae Subfamily Otocyoninae
The Bat eared fox is one of the strangest foxes that you'll ever see. It is characterized by large dish like ears and grey-black markings.
This foxy friend has taken a different route than most of its siblings. It has become almost exclusively insectivorous though, if available, it will consume fruits and even the occasional rodent. Eating mostly termites, its teeth are unlike those of other foxes and it has lost many of the Canidae tooth features. Its teeth have become needle like to more easily devour bugs and has 48 teeth giving it more teeth than almost all other mammals that are relatively small but contain 4 to 8 extra molars within large powerful digastric jaw muscles enabling rapid chewing The Bat-Eared is smaller than the average Red Fox weighing in at about 4.5 kilograms and being 66 centimeters long. (9.9 pounds and 26.4 inches long, for the metrically challenged). In addition, he has 30 cm (12 in.) of tail following him around. The Bat-Eared Fox is mostly nocturnal preferring to go on termite hunting expeditions in the cooler nights. During the daylight hours, he will use his huge ears to expel heat from his body. Bringing blood into the thin ears, circulating air can carry off much of the fox's unwanted body heat. Status: No known listings, populations assumed to be healthy but considerably under constant threat by mistaken identity, pelt hunting and predation by larger mammals Range: It lives in two separate regions in the East African arid zones from Somalia to Tanzania and in the southwestern arid zones of Southern Africa. The division of its range is not recent, nor is it due to the result of human activity. Instead, the separation appears to have occurred many thousands of years ago because of a change in the African climate. Description: A medium sized, lightly colored fox with huge dish-shaped ears and a raccoon-like colored face. Average weight is 3-6 kg, average height 25-30 cm. Oddly shaped body with overdeveloped hindquarters, used for pouncing and leaping, and underdeveloped forelegs used for digging and holding. Front feet have very sharp claws for digging and its highly-pointed muzzle is used for eating insects. Habitat: Can be found in light Acacia woodlands to short grassland plains. Prefers areas where there is large amounts of bare ground, especially sandy soil conditions, where it can dig an extensive lair of underground tunnels and burrows. The den is often several feet deep and contains more than one entrance. When patrolling its territory or searching for food, the bat eared fox turns, twists, and doubles back on its self to confuse the predators that pursue it. Activity/Behavior: Primarily nocturnal, with heavy social and mating activity proceeding sunrise and sunset. Stays in its cool burrow system during hot daylight hours, emerging as daytime temperatures begin to drop. Very active foraging activity from sunset till after midnight, followed by intermittent rest and foraging until another highly active period of foraging just prior to sunrise. Diet largely dominated by harvester termite, followed by dung beetle larvae, grasshoppers, and a large variety of other insects. Will also eat small rodents, ground-nesting birds eggs, and small lizards. Hunting strategy varies depending on prey type. Termites are simply licked-up, while beetle larvae are furiously dug up after being pinpointed by its huge radar like ears. Grasshoppers are caught in the air by leaping up and twisting its body while in mid-flight. Relatively little aggression between individual species members. Male/Female pair-bonds are very interactive, spending much time together grooming each other and raising their young together. Foraging activity is usually done solo however, pair-bonds will stay in close proximity to each other while feeding. Breeding: The breeding habits vary throughout its range. In the north it establishes territories during the breeding season and marks them with the scent of urine. But in the south the territories of several adults often overlap. The bat eared fox mates for life and pairs form very strong bonds. Time of mating: June-Sept. (S.Africa, Serengeti and Botswana); Jan. in Uganda; appears to be seasonally and locally adjusted so that births occur during the rains when peak insect densities exist. Two months after mating, the female gives birth to two to six cubs. They nurse for up to 15 weeks, but may be weaned in four weeks. The cubs first leave the den at about two and a half weeks, if danger threatens, the adults grab them by the scruff of the neck and carry them to safety. In the wild, in spite of the mothers continual presence, less than half the litter will survive through the first yearLitter size: 1-6. Gestation period of approximately 65 -70 days. Lactation: 14-15 weeks with the young reach maturity size in approximately six months. Bat eared fox and humans: After the leopard, humans are the foxes greatest enemy. It is hunted for its soft dense fur, particularly during the colder winter months when the fox's pelt is at its best. The fox is also hunted by farmers who do not realise that its no threat to livestock or its mistaken for a jackal and finally road kill also accounts for high mortality Names: English: Bat-eared fox, Delalande's fox. Afrikaans: Bakoor. Tswana: mo-Tlhose. French: L'Otocyon. German: Löffelhund. Karamojong: Ameguri. Kichagga: Kipara. Kigogo: Nchenjeji. Kikomo: Mchutu. Kinyaturu: Bii. Kirarnba: Bili. Did you Know: The bat eared fox eat scorpions, swallowing the stinger and poison sac with no ill effects © All photos, graphics and images on this site remain the copyright of Kwa Motlhose and should not be downloaded without prior agreement. |
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