Bat-eared Fox Facts – Otocyon megalotis

This Mammal has Teeth Designed for Crushing Through Insect Shells

Nov 14, 2009

The bat-eared fox is so named due to the size of its ears in comparison with its head. Ear length ranges from 114mm-135mm.

Bat-eared foxes belong to the dog family. They are small mammals with bushy tails, long legs and very large ears. Coloring is usually yellowy-brown with dark brown areas on the legs, ears, tail and around the eyes.

Distribution is in Southern and East Africa, in semi-arid open country with short grass and shrubs. So grasslands and savannahs are ideal because the foxes are avid diggers and live inside of multi-tunneled dens. One single family can have a few dens within their home range. Home range can be 0.25 – 3 sq km (0.1 – 1 sq miles) in size.

Reproductive Behaviour of the Bat-eared Fox

Bat-eared foxes reach sexual maturity at 8-9 months, however, the female is usually 18 months old before she has her first litter. Bat-eared foxes pair and mate for life and breeding season is between September to November but can last until January. Gestation is 60 days after which the female will give birth to between 1-6 pups.

The mother will forage for food so as to keep well nourished to be able to provide milk for her young. With such large litters, females will often get help from another adult female who will suckle the pups and bring back food for the male, who stays behind to protect the cubs from predators. In some cases, the other female will be from a previous litter.

Mortality is high with large litters of pups and not all of the pups survive. In the event that a predator discovers their den, the family will move to a new location, leaving behind any pups that are too weak to move.

Pups begin foraging at around 3 months and are fully grown by 6 months. Adults are 75-90 cm (30-36 in) in height and weigh between 3-5 kg (6.6 – 11 lbs). Lifespan in the wild is not known, however, bat-eared foxes have lived up to 14 years in captivity.

What Does the Bat-eared Fox Eat?

As well as a way to disperse excess heat from the body, the large ears of the bat-eared fox are also used to listen to the movement of insects and other prey. The foxes’ thick fur protects them from termite bites. Bat-eared foxes have 46-50 teeth, which is more than any heterodont placental mammal. Their teeth are designed for crushing and chewing rather than tearing and allow them to slice through insect shells and pincers.

Bat-eared foxes can move their lower jaw up and down five times per second, which allows then to eat many insects rather quickly. They have also been known to eat scorpions - stingers, poison sacs and all with no adverse effect.

Their strong claws on the front feet allow the fox to dig very quickly enabling it to capture underground prey. In addition to insects, which is the prominent food in their diet, termites in particular, bat-eared foxes also eat snakes and other reptiles, rodents, bird eggs, and fruit.

Behaviour and communication of the bat-eared fox

Bat-eared foxes are quite social, often sharing their burrows with more than just mate or offspring. Larger groups will live together given enough resources. Much of the bat-eared foxes' activity occurs at night due to the hot temperatures during the day, however, during winter they will be most active in the day because it is too cold to forage at night.

Bat-eared foxes form strong bonds and will groom, forage, play and rest with their mate. They also have well developed facial expressions, which they use to communicate in addition to tail postures and vocalization communications.

The behaviour among pups is usually escape behaviours rather than the fighting behaviour that is seen in lion cubs. Generally the bat-eared fox will run from trouble; however, a male guarding pups will chase away an intruder. Other adults will distract and confuse the intruder by running around it. They also ‘stot’: a behavior known to springboks where they stiffen the legs and leap in the air. Bat-eared foxes are the only canids to do this.

Predators include brown hyenas, jackals and the slender mongoose. Indigenous people have also killed the bat-eared foxes for their pelts but they are currently not a threatened or endangered species.

The copyright of the article Bat-eared Fox Facts – Otocyon megalotis in Quadrupeds is owned by Roberta Goli. Permission to republish Bat-eared Fox Facts – Otocyon megalotis in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.