Canine Spotlight: Fennec

The fennec is an adorable type of fox that has been growing in popularity for the last couple of decades. It is probably my favorite of all the different foxes, so I figured it was a good place to start. Even though you may be tempted to just ogle all of the cute pictures at the bottom, I still encourage you to read this as well--as I shall attempt to give them a proper spotlight.

The fennecs are small foxes with cream colored fur. They can have a body length from 9 to 16 inches from head to tail. They are only 8 inches tall. Their tails can be as long as 12 inches and always has a black tip. Most notable about the fennecs are their ears. They are very wide and can be as much as 6 inches long. The ears really seem to be the popularity draw of these animals, and I can see why.

Fennecs are desert foxes. They are found almost exclusively in the Sahara of North Africa. The large ears are actually used to help dissipate heat. Their lightly colored fur also assists in heat reduction. They have very thick skin on their paws which keeps them from being burned by the hot sand. These animals are extremely suited for desert life.

Their ears also do allow them to hear better. It assists them in the capture of prey. As they are omnivores, the menu consists of various desert plants, rodents, an array of insects, birds and their eggs, and also rabbits. Foxes are well known to be clever hunters. They can be sneaky. When hunting, the fennec will stare at the ground as if distracted, but it carefully will move his head from side to side looking for prey. When the time is right, they will dash towards the surprised animal and kill it. The latter hunting method somehow strikes me as cute, but then again, just about everything I see the fennec do seems cute. I don't think they can help it.

You may find it interesting that fennecs mate for life. This is not a common thing in the world of animals. The male will also become extremely protective of the female after mating has occurred. He will go about and provide her with food as well as fend off anyone who comes into the couple's territory. Gestation lasts up to 52 days and a litter will be between one and four kits. When born, the child's large ears are folded down over its closed eyes. The eyes open about 10 days later, and soon after, the ears pop up. Yes, even in birth, they are adorable.

Fennecs are also bred as exotic pets, and I think it should be obvious by now why. In captivity, fennecs really take well to others of their kind. They yap at each other and sleep in cute, little piles. These are most certainly social animals. However, if you are considering buying one, you will have to spend a lot of money. They do not come cheaply. Additionally, these pets are not to be considered domesticated in the least. You will be in possession of a wild animal, and that does not always work very well, but humans will go through a lot of trouble to possess cute things.

I know of only one fennec in fiction. In the 2016 Disney movie "Zootopia," there was a cute little short-stack fennec known as Finnick. This was one of the most lovable characters in the film despite him not having many scenes. He was portrayed as a con-artist that had no qualms about pretending to be a cute, adorable little child to run his schemes. Hilariously, he had the voice of a big tough man which contrasted to his adorable looks quite well.

I enjoyed the contrast presented in Zootopia for Finnick, and I think I would do similarly in my own portrayal of them. I see them as hardcore foxes who have the misfortune of being adorable. They are constantly petted by taller people, and they have a never ending struggle to get themselves taken more seriously. At the end of the day, they are entirely loved and adored by everyone; although, it is much to the fennec's chagrin. They were born cute, and they will always be cute.

Okay, so I have some pictures for you. This is the best part. I also encourage you to look up some videos of these guys. They are marvelous! The only thing better than learning about the fennecs is seeing them. Enjoy!

Thank you for reading my cute blog! If you enjoyed it, you can comment below, or you can email me at tkwadeauthor@gmail.com. Aww!