FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                     July 21, 2011

CONTACTS:        

Tara Henson (405) 919-9038, cell / (405) 425-0219, office / thenson@okczoo.com

Candice Rennels (405) 412-6172, cell / (405) 425-0298, office / crennels@okczoo.com

OKC ZOO WELCOMES BAT-EARED FOX KITS

We’re feeling “foxy” at the Oklahoma City Zoo as we announce the birth of five bat-eared fox kits!

The kits, four males and one female, were born on May 4 in their den on Wild Dog Drive. This was the first offspring for both of their parents and the first litter of bat-eared foxes born at the Zoo since 2005. The kits weigh approximately one to two pounds each.

Bat-eared foxes are primarily nocturnal and the kits are still spending the majority of their time inside the den and out of sight. Lucky Zoo visitors might catch them scurrying about their yard in the early morning or late evening hours as they start to get older and more active. Their preferred hangout is the back area of their habitat along the fence.           

Bat-eared foxes live in the dry savannas and brush of eastern and southern Africa and are easily recognized by their huge 5-inch ears. These large lobes serve multiple purposes – they are full of blood vessels that help disperse heat and keep the fox cool, and they give them acute hearing for listening for their primary diet of insects. They can even hear the underground movement of a termite or beetle larvae!

Bat-eared foxes can grow to be about 2 feet long and can weigh anywhere from six to 12 pounds. They are a sandy brown color with darker markings on their ears, nose, feet and tails. Their feet have claws perfectly suited for digging, whether going after a tasty insect or hollowing out a cozy burrow.          

Fun fox fact: Did you know that a male fox is called a “dog,” a female is called a “vixen” and a baby is called a “kit”? Bat-eared foxes live in closely-knit family groups made up of two to five individuals.

The wild is calling you to the Oklahoma City Zoo, Oklahoma’s #1 attraction and one of the top three family-friendly zoos in the nation. Located at NE 52^nd and Martin Luther King Blvd. in the heart of Oklahoma City’s Adventure District, the Zoo is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with exhibit buildings closing at 4:45 p.m. July 1 through August 21, the Zoo will open at 8 a.m. daily for Morning Zoo Rise. Now through September 3, the Zoo will remain open until 8 p.m. on Saturdays with exhibit buildings closing at 7:45 p.m. All guests must leave Zoo grounds at closing time. Admission is $8 for adults and $5 for children ages three to 11 and seniors ages 65 and older. Children two and younger are free. For more information, call (405) 424-3344 or visitokczoo.com. Are you a Zoo fan?  Find us at www.facebook.com/okczoobg.

-okczoo-