English Name: Bat-eared Fox

Lathin Name: Otocyon megalotis

appearance: Size: Both Male and Female 2,5 to 5 kg. (3-6Kg) = Average weight Shoulder Height: Both Male and Female 35 to 40 cm.(25-30 cm) The ears can reach 10 cm. of lenght. =medium sized, lightly colored, huge dish-shaped ears, racoon-like colored face. Oddly shaped body with overdeveloped Hindquarters, used for pouncing and leaping, and underdeveloped forelegs used for digging and holding. Front feet have sharp claws for digging and highly-pointed muzzle has up to 50 small teeth used for eating insects.

Geographic Range:

Horn of Africa and the Southern Africa. Found in the East African arid zones from Somalia to Tanzania and in the southwestern arid zones of Southern Africa.

Habitat: Savannas, dry lands,light Acacia woodlands to short grassland plains. Prefers areas where there is large ammounts of bare ground, especially sandy soild conditions, where it can dig an extensive lair of underground tunnels and burr ows.

Behaviour: Primarily nocturnal, with heavy social and mating activity proceeding sunrise and sunset. During the day it rests in little shady ravines. Very active foraging activ ity from sunset till after midnight, followed by intermittent rest and foraging until another highly active period of foraging just prior to sunrise. It lives in small familiar groups. Its enemies are: hyaenas and big predatorys. 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.

Food: Diet largely dominated by harvester termite, followed by dung beetle larvae, grasshoppers, and a la rge 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 i ts huge radar like ears. Grasshoppers are caught in the air by leaping up and twisting its body while in mid-flight.Other Food: little mammals, insects, larvas, eggs, berries and fruit.

Reproduction: From 2 to 5 offsprings after 2 months of gestation. Longevity: About 5 years. Status: No known listings, populations assumed to be heathly.Gestation period of approximately 65 days. Young reach maturity size in approximately six months.