Shadow, our female Bat Eared Fox, arrived at the park in January 2018 from Reaseheath College. She is an old girl living with our group of five Meerkats in their desert enclosure.

Bat Eared Foxes live in short grass plains and areas where termites and beetles are found in East and Southern Africa.

Their diet mainly consists of termites, but they also eat other insects and arthropods, small rodents, lizards, the eggs and chicks of birds, and plant matter.

Unlike other canids, the male undertakes most parental care duties, while the female forages for food that maintains her milk production. 
Bat Eared Foxes breed annually, between September to November, in self dug dens. Pups’ eyes open at 9 days and they emerge from the den at 17 days. Offspring will suckle for 15 weeks before beginning to forage with their parents.
Pups are full grown by 5 or 6 months.

Fortunately these foxes are fairly common, they are occasionally hunted for their pelts or killed because they are believed to be pests to young livestock.

Bat Eared Foxes rarely drink water as they obtain most of their moisture that they need from their food.