At a glance the quick version
Coat and looks how to spot one
Soft, dense fur; bushy black-tipped tail; very large ears; fur-covered soles
The smallest of all wild dogs, with a head-and-body length of roughly 29 to 41 cm plus a fluffy tail of about 18 to 30 cm. Its ears, around 10 to 15 cm long, are the biggest relative to body size of any canid. The pale, sandy coat bounces sunlight away by day and keeps the fox warm through cold desert nights, and thick fur under the paws helps it walk on hot, loose sand.124
Personality what they are like
An energetic, alert little fox that is most active after dark. Fennecs are vocal, using barks, whimpers, chatters, squeaks and howls to keep in touch, and they mark their home area with scent. Family members are closely bonded, with older young helping raise new pups.12
Daily activity how busy a day looks
High. Fennecs are nocturnal, dig extensive burrows, stalk and pounce on prey, can leap about 0.7 m straight up and sprint around 32 km/h, so they need room and things to dig and explore, especially in the evening and at night.213
Home where they are happiest
A desert specialist that naturally lives in sandy, dry areas with sparse grasses or scrub, resting underground by day in burrows it digs itself. A home setup should give it warmth, a deep diggable substrate and a secure den to retreat to. Keeping one as a pet is only possible where local law allows exotic foxes.213
Food basics what goes in the bowl
An omnivore. Wild fennecs eat insects, small rodents, lizards, birds, eggs, snails, roots, fruit and leaves, and they bury spare food for later. Zoos feed a mix of canine kibble, a meat-based carnivore diet, vegetables, fruit and mice, with insects offered as enrichment treats. Much of their water comes from food.213
Company who they like around
Social. Pairs bond for life and live in family groups of up to about 10, sometimes with neighbouring or linked dens. They communicate a lot by voice and scent.123
The story where it all began
The German naturalist Eberhardt Zimmermann first described the fennec in 1780 as Canis zerda, and it was later moved into the fox genus Vulpes. Its common name traces back to the Arabic word fanak. Today the species is bred in captivity and kept as an exotic pet in places where that is permitted.4
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
It is the smallest fox and the smallest member of the whole dog family.4
- 2
Relative to body size, its ears are the largest of any canid, and they help shed heat and pick up prey moving under the sand.1
- 3
Fennecs can go a very long time without drinking, getting most of their moisture from what they eat.2
- 4
Their burrows can stretch to around 10 m (32 ft) and have several entrances.1
- 5
When panting to cool down, a fennec can go from about 23 to 690 breaths per minute.1
- 6
It is Algeria's national animal, and Algeria's national football team is nicknamed after it.4
Recognised by the official bits
- IUCN Red List
- Wild species assessed as Least Concern1
- CITES
- Listed in Appendix II, so international trade is regulated2
- Algeria
- National animal of Algeria4
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Fennec Fox. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- Fresh food and waterevery day
- Spot cleanevery day
- Full cleanevery week
- EnrichmentNew things to explore every dayevery day
- Nails checkevery month
- Weigh inevery 2 weeks
- Vet check-upFind a vet who sees exotic petsevery year
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- Fennec fox | Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute nationalzoo.si.eduused for Size, ears, lifespan in care, range, diet, social life, colours, fun facts, IUCN status
- Vulpes zerda (Fennec) | Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan animaldiversity.orgused for Weight, shoulder height, length, lifespan, habitat, diet, coat, vocalisations, jumping, CITES
- Fennec Fox | San Diego Zoo Animals & Plants animals.sandiegozoo.orgused for Length, lifespan, zoo diet and enrichment, social groups, running speed
- Fennec fox | Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for Etymology, taxonomy history, smallest canid, captive lifespan record, Algeria national animal, coat function
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.