Template:Friend of the Week
The Fennec Fox is the smallest species of fox on earth. They're native to the North Africa including the Sahara Desert. They are around 25-40 cm long and weigh around a kilogram. Each ear is about the size of the rest of the head. The big ears help dissipate heat while also enabling them to hear prey underground. They live in underground dens they dig with their feet. Their feet are insulated like snowshoes to protect them from the hot desert sand and provide extra traction on the sand. Their fur is insulated to protect from both the daytime heat and the nighttime cold of the desert.
Fennec Foxes are omnivorous. They eat insects, which they dig out of the ground, rodents, birds, eggs and even the much larger rabbits. They hunt alone at night. They also eat roots, fruits and leaves to help them hydrate. They do not need to drink, but will do so if water is available.
Fennecs are very social animals. They form monogamous bonds for life. They typically live in a family unit consisting of a male, a female and their offspring. Typically a litter stays with that family even after another litter is born. Males are more aggressive and territorial during the females estrous cycle. Breeding season is in January and February with births of 2-5 pups taking place in March and April. The pups are weaned another 70 days later. The male will defend and provide for the female from the late stages of pregnancy until the end of lactation.
Fennec Foxes can be kept as pets in many states and countries in the west, such as Germany and the UK. They're high energy animals and require a lot of socialization and space. As exotic pets, they're very expensive. They make a lot of sounds, ranging from purrs to barks and squeaks. They are by no means domesticated and still wild animals so they will need a lot of care.
Fennec Foxes are classified to be of least concern. While they are occasionally hunted for their fur, they're considered extremely hard to capture. Aside from Africas eagle owls, predation by other animals such as caracals is considered anecdotal at best. Their desert and semi-desert habitats are only sparsely populated by humans so the small fox is not a threat to livestock and humans don't see them as pests.