Head to head
Bat-eared Fox vs Fennec Fox
Bat-eared Fox
VS Fennec Fox
The bat-eared fox and fennec fox are both African foxes with huge ears, but they live in different habitats and eat differently, one a termite specialist of savanna and the other a tiny omnivore of the desert.
| Bat-eared Fox | Fennec Fox | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Otocyon megalotis | Vulpes zerda |
| Ears | More than 10 cm, used to hear underground insects and shed heat | Up to 15 cm, the largest ear-to-body ratio of any carnivore |
| Diet | Mainly termites and other insects, plus some small animals and fruit | Omnivore: insects, rodents, lizards, birds, eggs, roots, and fruit |
| Claim to fame | More teeth than any other canid | The smallest fox and smallest wild dog in the world |
| Habitat | Savanna and grassland | Sandy deserts and semi-deserts |
| Family life | Monogamous pairs, with males helping to raise the pups | Dens up to 10 m long with multiple entrances |
| Native range | Two separate areas, East Africa and southern Africa | North Africa and the Sinai and Arabian peninsulas |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Bat-eared Fox vs Fennec Fox: common questions
Which fox has the bigger ears, the bat-eared fox or the fennec fox?
The fennec fox, whose ears reach up to 15 cm and give it the largest ear-to-body ratio of any carnivore, while the bat-eared fox's ears are more than 10 cm long.
What do the bat-eared fox and fennec fox eat?
The bat-eared fox feeds mainly on termites and other insects, while the fennec fox is a broader omnivore that eats insects, rodents, lizards, birds, eggs, roots, and fruit.
Where do the bat-eared fox and fennec fox live?
The bat-eared fox lives in savanna and grassland in East and southern Africa, while the fennec fox lives in the sandy deserts of North Africa and the Sinai and Arabian peninsulas.