Show Navigation
back to search results

Bat-eared fox

Bat-eared fox (Octocyon megalotis) Duba Plains.
Okavango Delta. BOTSWANA. Southern Africa.
HABITAT: Open plains and dry pans. They are mostly nocturnal but can be seen lying outside of their burrows during the day. They dig their own burrows which can be up to 3 meters deep. They have between 2 and 5 pups after a 2 month gestation period.
Small carnivore weighing about 4kg's with a shoulder height of 30cm.
These small carnivores eat mostly insects, termites, locusts, grasshoppers and beetles. Sometimes they eat fruit, small rodents, reptiles, seeds, scorpions and carrion. Their large ears provide for sensitive hearing so they are able to hear termites underground and then dig them up. They also provide a large surface area which helps the fox to lose heat which is vital as they tend to live in hot regions.
Bat-eared foxes are prone to rabies and during the 80's a rabies outbreak serverely depleted their numbers in Southern Africa.

Add to Cart Add to Lightbox Download
Filename
C54_Bat-eared_fox_&_pups.tif
Copyright
Pete Oxford
Image Size
5510x3660 / 57.7MB
Contained in galleries
Southern Africa general
Bat-eared fox (Octocyon megalotis) Duba Plains.<br /> Okavango Delta. BOTSWANA. Southern Africa.<br /> HABITAT: Open plains and dry pans. They are mostly nocturnal but can be seen lying outside of their burrows during the day. They dig their own burrows which can be up to 3 meters deep. They have between 2 and 5 pups after a 2 month gestation period.<br /> Small carnivore weighing about 4kg's with a shoulder height of 30cm.<br /> These small carnivores eat mostly insects, termites, locusts, grasshoppers and beetles. Sometimes they eat fruit, small rodents, reptiles, seeds, scorpions and carrion. Their large ears provide for sensitive hearing so they are able to hear termites underground and then dig them up. They also provide a large surface area which helps the fox to lose heat which is vital as they tend to live in hot regions.<br /> Bat-eared foxes are prone to rabies and during the 80's a rabies outbreak serverely depleted their numbers in Southern Africa.
Info