The Bat-eared fox (Otocyon megalotis) is a species of fox that lives in the African savanna. Fossil records indicate this canid first appeared during the middle Pleistocene. It is named for its large ears, which have a role in thermoregulation. The bat referred to in its colloquial name is possibly the Egyptian slit-faced bat, which is abundant in the region and has very large ears.
Generally, the pelage of the Bat-eared fox is tan-colored, with gray agouti guard hairs, giving its grizzled appearance, appearing more buff on the sides. The undersides and throat are pale. The limbs are dark, shading to dark brown or black at their extremities. The muzzle, the tip and upperside of the tail, and the facial mask are black. The insides of the ears are white. Individuals of the East African subspecies, O. m. virgatus, tend toward a buff pelage with dark brown markings, as opposed to the black of O. m. megalotis. Proportionally large ears of Bat-eared foxes, a characteristic shared by many other inhabitants of hot, arid climates, help to distribute heat. They also help in locating prey.
There are 2 subspecies of the Bat-eared fox in Africa. One is in the eastern part of Africa, stretching from Tanzania to southern Sudan and Ethiopia. The other subspecies is found in the southern part of Africa from Cape Peninsula and Cape Agulhas in South Africa to Angola and Zambia, reaching Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Bat-eared foxes are adapted to arid or semi-arid environments. They live in short grasslands, as well as the more arid regions of the savannas, along woodland edges, and in open acacia woodlands. They tend to hunt in short grass and low shrub habitats but will sometimes venture into areas with tall grasses and thick shrubs to hide when threatened.
