14 Things You Didn't Know About the Bat-Eared Fox

The Bat-Eared Fox (Otocyon megalotis) is a small carnivorous mammal native to South East Asia. They are characterized by the large ear tufts that help them locate prey, similar to the larger, but unrelated bat species. In addition to their large ears, they have long whiskers that are used for tactile sensing and communication. Their fur color ranges from greyish-brown to light brown.

1. They have large ears especially compared to other foxes.

2. They can weigh as much as 14 pounds (6.4 kilograms) full grown.

3. Their diet mainly includes insects, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and other fruits.

4. They are territorial animals that mark their territory using urine and faeces.

5. They have two distinct types of calls; the short "chuck" call is used for communication between individuals and the long "woo woo woo" call is used for courtship.

6. Foxes with bat ears have no foxes at all. They are members of the dog family (Canidae) that live in Australia. They have large ears and short fur, but they do not bark like dogs. They are known for their stealthy hunting methods and can climb trees.

7. When born, bat-eared fox cubs are blind and deaf. Their eyes open around three weeks after birth. By two months old, they begin eating solid food. At four months old, their eyesight begins to develop, and by six months old they start hearing.

8. Bat-eared foxes are nocturnal hunters, staying active throughout the night. They prefer to hunt small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and insects. They make use of their keen sense of smell, and their long snout allows them to sniff out prey while running across the ground.

9. These animals eat fruit, vegetables, eggs, meat, fish, invertebrates, and carrion. They are considered omnivorous, meaning that they ingest both animal and vegetable matter.

10. While they are opportunistic predators, they only kill if they need to. If they encounter a predator, they usually run away and hide until the danger passes.

11. A bat-eared fox's life expectancy can reach 16 years.

12. Bat-eared foxes are social animals that live in groups called clans, each consisting of a breeding pair and their offspring. They have a strict hierarchy amongst themselves. The dominant male leads the group while the females care for the young. They are omnivorous predators who eat insects, small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, crustaceans, and eggs.

13. Their diet consists mainly of fruits, berries, seeds, insects, frogs, snakes, lizards, mice, and other small mammals. When hunting, they run at high speeds and jump from tree to tree to catch prey. They can leap up to 10 meters (33 ft) into the air before landing.

14. The bat-eared fox is native to North America and is found throughout Canada and Mexico. This species has been hunted for food and fur since pre-historic times. However, in recent years, its population began to decline due to habitat loss, competition from introduced species, disease, and persecution for killing domestic livestock.