Fennec fox

Fennec
File:Vulpes zerda sitting.jpg
Conservation status
Data Deficient
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Family:	Canidae
Genus:	Vulpes
Species:	V. zerda
Binomial name
Vulpes zerda (Zimmermann, 1780)

The Fennec is a small fox found in the Sahara Desert of North Africa (excluding the coast) which has distinctive oversized ears. Although some authorities classify this as the only species of the genus Fennecus, it is shown here in the genus Vulpes.

Description

The Fennec is the smallest canid, only weighing up to 3.3 Lb (1.5 kg). The fox is 7.9 in (20 cm) tall at the shoulder, with a body length of up to 15.7 in (40 cm). The tail is an additional 9.8 in (25 cm) or so, and the ears can be 5.9 in (15 cm) long. The animals are often a sandy color to blend in with their desert surroundings.

Its ears, which are the largest in the canid family, serve to help dissipate heat. The coat can repel sunlight during the day and conserve heat at night. The soles of the feet are protected from the hot sand by thick fur.

Habits

The Fennec is nocturnal. During the night, it will hunt for rodents, insects (such as locusts), lizards, and birds and eggs. It also eats a small lizard known as a sandfish. The Fennec gets most of its water from food, but will sometimes eat berries and leaves as an additional source of water.

Fennecs live in large dens (extending up to 32.8 ft or 10 meters), often with several foxes.

Reproduction

In the spring, after about 50 days of gestation, a female fennec will give birth to a litter of 2-5 young. The young will rely on their mother's milk for about a month.

Population

File:Vulpes zerda front view.jpg

The fennec is rare and is not often seen. It is often hunted by humans, even though the fox does not cause any harm to human interests.

Domestication

The fennec is classified under CITES as an Appendix II species (here): "species not necessarily threatened with extinction, but in which trade must be controlled in order to avoid utilization incompatible with their survival (CITES website)."[1] In the United Sates there is a relatively established community of Fennec owners and breeders.

The fennec is considered the only species of fox which can properly be kept as a pet. Although they cannot be considered completely domesticated, they can be kept in a domestic setting similar to dogs or cats, though several factors make it important to ensure that they do not escape. Their speed and agility (they can jump four times their own body length) combined with their natural chase instinct creates the risk of a fennec slipping its harness or collar. Further, since they are adept diggers (they can dig up to twenty feet a night in their natural environment), outdoor pens and fences must be extended many feet below ground. Escaped fennec foxes are extremely difficult to recapture.

Pet fennecs, being the most social among foxes, are usually very friendly towards strangers and other household pets. However, they are extremely active, and need outlets for their energy; they may exhaust other household pets with their excessive playfulness.

The vast majority of their diet in the wild consists of meat and protein sources like insects. Any diet in a domestic setting should reflect this. Food soruces commonly used include (but are not limited to) high quality meat-rich dog food, wild canine food brands, cat food, raw meats, insects, mealworms, custom dietary mixtures, or combination thereof.

The legality of owning a fennec, as with many exotic pets, varies with jurisdiction, so check with local animal control authorities before considering adoption or purchase. Also, because it is an exotic, not all veterinarians will treat fennecs, so make sure to find one who will provide vaccinations and any necessary medical care. Furthermore, consider that fennecs are not often able to be housebroken, although a few pet owners have reported being able to litter-train their fennec foxes.

The issue of owning exotic pets is controversial. Requirements of behavior, diet, environment, socialization, and the demands of the time and attention needed to keep an exotic are often very high. Such factors may be unconducive to the lifestyle of an average person, be more than they are personally willing to invest, or even even require special expertise. All these factors, along with the real or perceived danger in handling non- or semi-domesticated animals, are often strongly cited as reasons for never considering the purchase or adoption of an exotic pet. What ever the decision, such factors must be considered in responsible ownership and care of any pet.

References

• Template:IUCN2006 Database entry includes justification for why this species is listed as data deficient

External links

• Fennec fox facts - Wild Animals Online encyclopedia
• About.com Exotic Pets - Entry on Fennec Foxes
• Fennec Fox Directory - Information on Fennecs, including Bloodlines and a Breeder Directory