A fennec fox is only about the size of a large kitten, weighing less than 1.5 kilograms. But those ears are extraordinary — they can be up to 15 cm long and act like satellite dishes, picking up the tiniest sounds. They also radiate heat away from the body, helping the fox stay cool without sweating.
Fennec foxes are nocturnal, meaning they sleep during the hottest part of the day in underground burrows and come out at night to hunt. Their thick, soft, cream-coloured fur keeps them warm during cold desert nights. The fur on the soles of their paws acts like shoes, protecting them from burning sand.
They eat insects, small lizards, rodents, eggs, and berries. Most impressively, they can survive without drinking water directly — they get all the moisture they need from their food. This makes them perfectly adapted to places where there are no streams or puddles for kilometres around.
Fennec foxes are very playful and live in small family groups. They communicate with a range of barks, purrs, and squeaks. Their call at night — a kind of chattering yip — is one of the sounds that makes the Saharan night feel alive.