Long Eared Fox

Long Eared Fox Skull Replica measures 4.4 inches. Long Eared Fox Skull Replica is museum quality polyurethane cast. Made in the USA. 2-part skull (separate cranium and jaw). Known as Bat Eared Fox.

Long Eared Fox is a species of fox found on the African savanna, named for its large ears, which are used for thermoregulation. Although not commonly used, other vernacular names include Delalandes Fox and Motlosi.

The Long Eared Fox are relatively small canids, ranging in weight from 3 kg to 5.3 kg. Head and body length is 46–66 cm, tail length is 23–34 cm, shoulder height is 30–40 cm, and the notably large ears are 11–13 cm longare relatively small canids, ranging in weight from 3 kg to 5.3 kg.

The Head and body length is 46–66 cm, tail length is 23–34 cm, shoulder height is 30–40 cm, and the notably large ears are 11–13 cm long.

Fossil records show this canid first appeared during the middle Pleistocene, about 800,000 years ago.

They are considered a basal canid species, resembling ancestral forms of the family, It has also been called a Sub-Saharan African version of a Fennec Fox due to their huge ears.

Visual displays are very important in communication among Long Eared  foxes. When they are looking intently at something, the head is held high, eyes are open, ears are erect and facing forward, and the mouth is closed.

Long Eared Fox has tawny fur with black ears, legs, and parts of the pointed face. It averages 22 in. in length (head and body), with ears 5.1 in. long.

The Long Eared Fox is predominantly an insectivore that uses its large ears to locate its prey. About 80 to 90 percent of their diet is harvester termites.

When this particular species of termite is not available, they feed on other species of termites and have also been observed consuming other arthropods such as ants, beetles, crickets, grasshoppers, millipedes, moths, scorpions, spiders, birds, small mammals, reptiles, and fungi. The insects they eat fulfill the majority of their water intake needs.

The teeth of are much smaller and reduced in shearing surface formation than teeth of other canid species. This is an adaptation to its insectivorous diet. The Long Eared Fox is an old species that was widely distributed in the Pleistocene era.

This is a distinctive fox skull in several ways, with an elevated cranium and pronounced temporal ridges. Perhaps the most interesting feature is the dentition, this fox uniquely (among foxes) possessing 48 teeth. The molars and carnassials are reduced in size and simplified compared to other canids, probably as an adaptation to a largely insectivorous diet.

The teeth are not the Long Eared Foxes only morphological adaptation for its diet. On the lower jaw, a step-like protrusion, called the subangular process, anchors the large digastric muscle to allow for rapid chewing. The digastric muscle is also modified to open and close the jaw five times per second.

Long Eared Fox are highly social animals. They often live in pairs or groups, and home ranges of groups either overlap substantially or very little.

In southern Africa, Long Eared Foxes live in monogamous pairs with kits, while those in eastern Africa may live in pairs, or in stable family groups consisting of a male and up to three closely related females with cubs.

Individuals forage, play, and rest together in a group, which helps in protection against predators. They engage in frequent and extended allogrooming sessions, which serve to strengthen group cohesion, mostly between mature adults.

Bat-eared foxes predators include African Wild Dogs, Cheetahs, Jackals, Leopards, Rock pythons and Spotted Hyenas. To escape from predators, bat-eared foxes rely on speed and their incredible dodging ability.