Bat-eared fox

The bat-eared fox is a small, pointy-nosed mammal that roams the African savanna. Known for its enormous ears, it’s not actually a true fox but a genetic cousin to other fox-like canids. These foxes first appeared in the fossil record during the middle Pleistocene.

• Its large ears may be named after the Egyptian slit-faced bat, which shares the same habitat.
• There are two distinct subspecies, living in separate populations across Africa.
• Despite its name, it’s more closely related to other fox-like canids than to true foxes.