Wednesday, February 15, 2017

The Bat-eared Fox - Hearing beyond comprehension!


The bat-eared fox (Otocyon megalotis)
The name Otocyon is derived from the Greek words otus for ear and cyon for dog, while the specific name megalotis comes from the Greek words mega for large and otus for ear.
With a average length of 55cm (head and body), with ears 13 cm long and are most amazingly adapted to survive. Its large ears serve as thermo regulation to keep its temprature in check. Being 85% of the time nocternal in summer and diurnal during the winter, It stays out of the either way. Unlike most the Bat-eared Fox is a insectivore living mostly of termites that it locates with its large ears, when termites are not available, all other  insects find themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Want to see these ears in action?
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Photo by: Peet van Schalkwyk