Bat-eared Fox
Otocyon megalotis(Desmarest, 1822)
Pays · région · aire protégée · écorégion · biome
Graphe en cours d’indexation
Calcul du tissu écologique de Otocyon megalotis.
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Liste rouge IUCN
LC · Préoccupation mineure→Stable- Évaluation
- 2014 · v3.1
- Altitude
- – m
- Profondeur
- – m
État de la populationTexte officiel évaluation IUCNExpert
The species is common in conservation areas in southern and eastern Africa, becoming uncommon in arid areas and on farms in South Africa where they are occasionally persecuted. Within a circumscribed habitat, numbers can fluctuate from abundant to rare depending on rainfall, food availability (Waser 1980, Nel et al. 1984), breeding stage and disease (Maas 1993a,b; Nel 1993). Recorded densities include 0.7-14/km² in the Kalahari (Nel et al. 1984) and 0.3-1.0 / km² in the Serengeti (Hendrichs 1972).
Menaces identifiées(4 menaces classées CMP-IUCN)
5_1_1Intentional use (species is the target)Negligible declinesMinority (<50%)Ongoing5_1_3Persecution/controlNegligible declinesMinority (<50%)Ongoing11_2DroughtsNo declineMinority (<50%)Ongoing8_2Problematic native species/diseasesNo declineMinority (<50%)Ongoing
Description complète des menacesTexte détaillé évaluation IUCNExpert
There are no major threats, but they are subject to subsistence hunting for skins or because they are perceived as being predators of small livestock. Populations fluctuate due to disease (especially rabies and canine distemper, which can cause short-term drastic declines in populations) or drought (which depresses insect numbers).
Habitats préférentiels (classification IUCN)
2_1Savanna - Dry★3_5Shrubland - Subtropical/Tropical Dry★3_8Shrubland - Mediterranean-type Shrubby Vegetation★4_5Grassland - Subtropical/Tropical Dry★
Mesures de conservation recommandéesStratégies de conservation IUCNExpert
The species is not included in the CITES Appendices. It is present in a number of protected areas across its range (see Nel and Maas 2004, 2013).
Bat-eared Foxes are kept in captivity in North America, Europe, South Africa and Asia, although never in large numbers. A Bat-eared Fox European StudBook was established at Banham Zoo in 2011 and an AZA Studbook has been established at Peoria Zoo in Illinois (2012/2013) (M. Woolham pers. comm. 2013). Importations have occurred throughout the history of the captive population despite successful captive breeding since 1970. Bat-eared Foxes can coexist well with other species and are frequently seen in African plains exhibits at zoos.
Little is known about dispersal of young and the formation of new breeding pairs. The causal factors for differences in home range size in different localities, group size and changes in density as a function of food availability are poorly known. In the Serengeti, behavioural evidence on group and pair formation and the existence of 'super families', consisting of one male and up to three closely related breeding females, raises interesting questions about regular inbreeding between males and their daughters from several generations (see Maas 1993a).
Bat-eared Foxes are kept in captivity in North America, Europe, South Africa and Asia, although never in large numbers. A Bat-eared Fox European StudBook was established at Banham Zoo in 2011 and an AZA Studbook has been established at Peoria Zoo in Illinois (2012/2013) (M. Woolham pers. comm. 2013). Importations have occurred throughout the history of the captive population despite successful captive breeding since 1970. Bat-eared Foxes can coexist well with other species and are frequently seen in African plains exhibits at zoos.
Little is known about dispersal of young and the formation of new breeding pairs. The causal factors for differences in home range size in different localities, group size and changes in density as a function of food availability are poorly known. In the Serengeti, behavioural evidence on group and pair formation and the existence of 'super families', consisting of one male and up to three closely related breeding females, raises interesting questions about regular inbreeding between males and their daughters from several generations (see Maas 1993a).
Actions de conservation (1)Conservation Actions Classification Scheme — IUCNExpert
2_1Site/area management
Stress écologiques (4)Stresses Classification — IUCNExpert
1_2Ecosystem degradation2_1Species mortality2_1Species mortality2_1Species mortality
Usage & commerce (2)Use & Trade — IUCNExpert
10Wearing apparel, accessoriesnationalsubsistance15Sport hunting/specimen collectingnational
Priorités de recherche (2)Research Needed Classification — IUCNExpert
1_3Life history & ecology4Other
Niche IUCN globaleRealms · Systems · LMEs · Growth forms · FAOs — biogéographie IUCNExpert
Royaumes biogéographiques
Afrotropical
Systèmes (terrestre/eau douce/marin)
Terrestrial
Références bibliographiques (20)Sources scientifiques de l'évaluation IUCNExpert
- IUCN. 2014. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.1. Available at: <a href="www.iucnredlist.org">www.iucnredlist.org</a>. (Accessed: 12 June 2014).
- Nel, J. A. J. and Maas, B. 2013. Otocyon megalotis Bat-eared Fox. In: Kingdon, J. & Hoffmann, M. (ed.), <i>Mammals of Africa. Volume 5. Carnivores, Pangolins, Equids and Rhinoceroses</i>, pp. 78-81. Bloomsbury, London.
- Rathbun, G.B. (subeditor). 2005. Macroscelidea. In: J.D. Skinner and C.T. Chimimba (eds), <i>The Mammals of the Southern African Subregion, 3rd edition</i>, pp. 22-34. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.
- Nel, J. A. J. and Maas, B. 2004. Bat-eared Fox Otocyon megalotis (Desmarest, 1822). In: Sillero-Zubiri, C., Hoffmann, M. & Macdonald, D.W. (ed.), <i>Canids: Foxes, Wolves, Jackals and Dogs. Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan</i>, pp. 183-189. IUCN, Gland.
- Baillie, J. and Groombridge, B. (comps and eds). 1996. <i>1996 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals</i>. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK.
- Maas, B. 1993b. Bat-eared fox behavioural ecology and the incidence of rabies in the Serengeti National Park. <i>Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research</i> 60:389-393.
- Maas, B. 1993a. Behavioural ecology and social organisation of the bat-eared fox in the Serengeti national Park, Tanzania. D.Phil. dissertation, University of Cambridge, UK.
- Marais, E. and Griffin, M. 1993. Range extension in the bat-eared fox <i>Otocyon megalotis</i> in Namibia. <i>Madoqua</i> 19: 187-188.
- Nel, J. A. J. 1993. The bat-eared fox: a prime candidate for rabies vector? <i>Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research</i> 60: 396-397.
- Coe, M. J. and Skinner, J. D. 1993. Connections, disjunctions and endemism in the eastern and southern African mammal faunas. <i>Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa</i> 48: 233-256.
- Mackie, A. J. and Nel, J. A. J. 1989. Habitat selection, home range use, and group size of bat-eared foxes in the Orange Free State. <i>South African Journal of Wildlife Research</i> 19: 135-139.
- Malcolm, J. R. 1986. Socio-ecology of bat-eared foxes (<i>Otocyon megalotis</i>). <i>Journal of Zoology (London)</i> 208: 457-467.
- Nel, J. A. J., Mills, M. G. L. and Van Aarde, R. J. 1984. Fluctuating group size in bat-eared foxes (<i>Otocyon m. megalotis</i>) in the south-western Kalahari. <i>Journal of Zoology (London)</i> 203: 294-298.
- Stuart, C.T. 1981. Notes on the mammalian carnivores of the Cape Province, South Africa. <i>Bontebok</i> 1: 1-58.
- Waser, P.M. 1980. Small nocturnal carnivores: ecological studies in the Serengeti. <i>African Journal of Ecology</i> 18: 167-185.
- Lamprecht, J. 1979. Field observations on the behaviour and social system of the bat-eared fox <i>Otocyon megalotis</i> Desmarest). <i>Zeitschrift für Tierpsychologie</i> 49: 260-284.
- Ansell, W.F.H. 1978. The Mammals of Zambia. pp. 73-74. The National Parks and Wildlife Service, Chilanga, Zambia.
- Coetzee, C.G. 1977. Order Carnivora. Part 8. In: J. Meester and H.W. Setzer (eds), <i>The Mammals of Africa: An Identification Manual</i>, pp. 1-42. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC, USA.
- Kingdon, J. 1977. <i>East African Mammals: An Atlas of Evolution in Africa. Volume IIIA (Carnivores)</i>. Academic Press, London, UK.
- Heindrichs, H. 1972. Beobachtungen und Untersuchungen zur Ökologie und Ethologie, insbesondere zur sozialen Organisation ostafrikanischer Säugetiere. <i>Zeitschrift für Tierpsychologie</i> 30: 146-189.
Évaluateurs & contributeurs (3)Personnes ayant contribué à l'évaluation IUCNExpert
assessor
Hoffmann, M.
contributor
Nel, J.A.J., Maas, B. & Woolham, M.
evaluator
Sillero-Zubiri, C.
Hoffmann, M. 2014. Otocyon megalotis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014: e.T15642A46123809. Accessed on 05 May 2026.
Traits biologiques
21 valeurs · 6 sources
Morphologie(5)
Cycle de vie(1)
Voir 15 traits de plus (2 catégories)Replier
Reproduction(6)
Écologie & habitat(9)
Sources priorisées par qualité scientifique (peer-reviewed spécialisées → Wikidata fallback). Unités auto-converties, valeur max retenue en cas de mesures multiples. Méthodologie · Citations.
Distribution mondiale
Calcul de la distribution GBIF· ~10–60 s
Phénologie
Calcul du calendrier d'apparition· ~5–30 s
Chant
1 captation · Xeno-cantocriA
1:17
Hot-link CDN Xeno-canto. Chaque captation porte sa propre licence Creative Commons (visible quand la piste est active) et l'attribution de son auteur.
Consulter sur les bases externes
Note nomenclaturale & synonymesDétails taxonomiques + synonymes CoLExpert
Note nomenclaturale
TAXREF v18 — INPN/MNHNSynonymes (2)— redirigent vers cette page
- Canis megalotisDesmarest, 1822
- Otocyon megalotis canescensCabrera, 1910
Sources : Catalogue of Life Cross-References (synonymes) · TAXREF v18 INPN/MNHN (commentaires FR).