Wildlife of the World
Puzzle 76 · Deserts and High Plateaus · Page 113 in print
Fennec Fox
A fennec fox’s large ears help it release heat and locate prey. This small Saharan fox shelters in a burrow during the day and usually searches for food after dark.
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A fennec fox pauses on desert sand in Morocco.
Species reference for Fennec Fox. The photograph does not necessarily show the population or place named in the puzzle.
(c) Horatiu Stefanie, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0 · Original recordImage changes
Resized and converted to JPEG for display; no subject alteration.
A trail of fennec tracks crosses sand beside a scale marker.
Tracks left by the fennec fox in its sandy habitat.
(c) Sylvain Eichhorn, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0 · Original recordImage changes
Resized and converted to JPEG for display; no subject alteration.
The words
Algeria
Fennecs are protected in Algeria.
Aridity
The dryness of its desert home.
Fennecs live almost exclusively in arid, sandy regions.
Canid
A member of the dog family.
Fennecs are the smallest canids.
Cream Fur
Fennec coats range from reddish cream to almost white.
Desert
Fennecs are adapted to desert life.
Fennec
A small desert fox of North Africa, recognised by its very large ears.
Furry Soles
Heavily furred feet protect the pads from hot sand.
Heat
The fennec’s large ears help release body heat in its desert environment.
Huge Ears
Fennecs have the largest ears for their size of any canid.
Insects
Fennecs eat insects.
Panting
Extreme panting keeps fennecs cool.
Rodents
Fennecs eat small rodents.
Sahara
Fennecs live throughout the Sahara.
Sand
Fennecs find prey under the sand.
Smallest Fox
Fennecs are the smallest of the canids.
Sources
- fennecnationalzoo.si.edu
- Fennec Fox (source capture)Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology