Fennec fox
Vulpes zerda
The fennec fox or fennec is the smallest of all canines—even smaller than the chihuahua. With large ears that dissipate heat, thick fur on the soles of its paws and a fluffy sand-coloured coat that protects it from heat and cold, the fennec is well adapted to the harsh conditions of deserts.
Fennec foxes live in groups of families in which only one mated pair has offspring and the rest serve as helpers. The family lives in a network of tunnels dug in sand and only comes out at dusk. Fennec foxes are playful animals, even as adults.
Conservation
The fennec’s cute appearance means they are sometimes captured and kept as pets, which can pose a threat to the natural population of this species.
This species and the individuals living in Korkeasaari Zoo are part of an ex-situ conservation programme by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria EAZA, known as the EEP.
Hämärä house
EAZA Ex-situ Programme
Endangerment
Distribution
Habitat
Diet
Size
Lifespan
10 years
Scientific classification
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae