BAT-EARED FOX

Deriving its name from its large ears, these creatures are nocturnal and live in pairs, which are usually monogamous. Females give birth to anything from one to five cubs and both the male and the female will raise them. Their diet mainly consists of grasshoppers and termites; but they will also eat small birds, eggs, lizards and fruit. They will forage for food in groups, laying their ears to the ground as they hunt in order to detect the underground movement of insects. They are also good at digging out prey or burrowing their own dens, but prefer to adapt an abandoned den left behind by other animals such as the aardvark. Due to its curious habit of turning rapidly, even at high speeds, it has been nicknamed "draaijakkals", which is Afrikaans for turning jackal. Their natural predators are hyenas and large birds of prey. Humans are enemies as well; but largely due to farmers' dogs confusing them with black-backed jackals, which destroy farmers' livestock.

Preferring short-grass or open shrub country makes Inverdoorn in the Karoo a perfect home for them.