Fennec Fox
Chattanooga Zoo has welcomed three new male fennec foxes and one female from a zoo in Illinois. The males have been named Maximus, Augustus and Quinterious – or Max, Gus and Quinn for short – and the female is named Daisy. They are joining Dandelion, who has lived at Chattanooga Zoo since 2020, on exhibit in the Deserts of the World building.
“Fennec foxes are definitely a guest favorite, so we are really happy to add a few more members of this fascinating species to our family at the Zoo,” said Darde Long, president and CEO of Chattanooga Zoo. “Helping people connect with wildlife is a huge part of our mission, and I know guests will love meeting these playful, fun fennec foxes.”
Daisy, Max, Gus and Quinn are all just shy of eight months old, and they each weigh around two and a half pounds. They were all born in the same litter earlier this year.
Fennec foxes are native to Northern Africa and live primarily in the Sahara Desert. They have the largest ears relative to body size of any member of the canid family, and they use their impressive auditory skills to hunt bugs, rodents, lizards and other prey underneath the sand. Fennec foxes are monogamous animals, often living in groups of up to 10 individuals.
Fennec foxes are not endangered, but they are legally protected in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt to help prevent human interference with this species and their natural habitat.
Chattanooga Zoo is open every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Visitors can see the fennec foxes in the Deserts of the World building.
Visit chattzoo.org for more information and to purchase tickets.
3 Fennec Foxes