Bat-eared Fox Kits Growing up at Prague Zoo—First Time in Fourteen Years

Bat-eared foxes live in family groups. The female gives birth in a den excavated by the pair, although they may occasionally use burrows made by other animals, such as aardvarks. Photo: Martina Marešová, Prague Zoo

Even with the new female, the path to successful breeding was not straightforward. The pair did not succeed in rearing their previous litter. “Although it is still too early to relax completely, everything is progressing well this time. The parents have gained experience since last year, and there is clear harmony between them. I am particularly pleased that the male has managed to sire offspring despite his advanced age,” says Pavel Brandl, Curator of Mammals at Prague Zoo.

The bat-eared kits began exploring the enclosure approximately two weeks after birth. However, they have not yet fully abandoned the den, which still provides shelter from adverse weather and serves as a sleeping place for them and their parents. Photo: Anna Žižková, Prague Zoo

The kits are already moving around the enclosure and leaving the den, which their parents excavated at the beginning of the female’s gestation. “They are playing outside and are clearly visible,” says Kateřina Hejná, a keeper of small mammals at Prague Zoo. “The female is still nursing them, but they are already capable of catching crickets and cockroaches. At the moment, the male is taking the lead in parental care and brings them meat,” she adds. The keepers first suspected the imminent arrival of kits based on the male’s behaviour, as he began offering the best portions of food to his mate.

The breeding male is nine years old—two years older than the species’ typical lifespan in the wild. In human care, however, they can live nearly twice as long. Photo: Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

These canids are characterised by a pointed snout and prominent ears. In their hot African habitat, these serve not only to dissipate excess body heat but also to detect even the faintest sounds made by insects. Their dentition, specialised primarily for termites and dung beetles, comprises up to fifty small teeth.

The bat-eared fox has grey-brown fur complemented by black legs and white insides of the ears. Photo: Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo