bat-eared fox

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bat-eared fox

mammal

Also known as: Otocyon megalotis, big-eared fox, cape fox, motlosi

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

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Also called:: Cape Fox, Big-eared Fox, orMotlosi

Related Topics:: fox

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bat-eared fox, (species Otocyon megalotis), large-eared fox, belonging to the dog family (Canidae), found in open, arid areas of eastern and southern Africa. It has 48 teeth, 6 more than any other canid. The bat-eared fox is like the red fox in appearance but has unusually large ears. It is yellowish gray with black face and legs and black-tipped ears and tail. It grows to a length of about 80 cm (32 inches), including a 30-centimetre (12-inch) tail, and weighs from 3 to 4.5 kg (6.6–10 pounds). It lives alone or in small groups and feeds primarily on insects, especially termites. Litters contain two to five young; gestation lasts 60 to 70 days.