ALL YOU EVER NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT THE Fennec fox

THE FENNEC FOX IS THE SMALLEST fox in the world, with a body length that can be as little as 24cm.

- BY JO PRICE

The canid’s range is North Africa, throughout the Sahara Desert, and east to the Sinai and Arabian Peninsulas. The species is particularly recognisable by its huge ears (the largest relative to body size in the Canidae family), which can reach up to 15cm in length. The ears radiate body heat, helping to keep these little mammals cool in the desert, and are used to track prey beneath the sand.

Where do fennec foxes live?

According to the IUCN, the fennec fox is widespread in the sandy deserts and semi-deserts of northern Africa, ranging from the western Sahara to northern Sinai. The species is native to Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sudan, Tunisia and Western Sahara. Typically, the fennec fox is the only canid in large sand-dune habitats.

How are fennec foxes physically adapted to desert life?