Bat-eared fox
Scientific name: Otocyon megalotis (Desmarest, 1822)
Overview
The bat-eared fox is a species of fox found on the African savanna. It is the only extant species of the genus Otocyon, and is the sister species to all other members of the tribe Vulpini, not genetically being a true fox. Fossil records indicate this canid first appeared during the middle Pleistocene. There are two separate populations of the bat-eared fox, each of which makes up a subspecies. 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. Other vernacular names include big-eared fox, black-eared fox, long-eared fox, Delalande's fox, cape fox, and motlosi.
From the Wikipedia article “Bat-eared fox”, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Conservation status
Least concern on the IUCN Red List, as recorded on Wikidata, citing The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022.2.
Size and lifespan
| Measurement | Value |
|---|---|
| Birth weight | 120 g |
| Adult weight | 4.15 kg |
Source: Wikidata, citing “Otocyon megalotis”, scientific article published on 15 July 2005.
Where it lives
The Catalogue of Life records it in: Africa.
Common names
Also known in English as Big-eared Fox.
Names in other languages (10)
- Arabic
- ثعلب خفاشي الأذنين
- Chinese
- 大耳狐
- French
- otocyon
- German
- Löffelhund
- Indonesian
- Rubah telinga kelelawar
- Japanese
- オオミミギツネ
- Persian
- روباه گوشخفاشی
- Portuguese
- Otócion
- Russian
- Большеухая лисица
- Turkish
- İri kulaklı tilki
Related animals
Sources
-
Catalogue of Life — scientific name, classification, common names and range.
Version 2026-09-11, CC BY 4.0.
This species in the Catalogue of Life.
Citation
Bánki, O., Roskov, Y., Döring, M., Ower, G., Hernández Robles, D. R., Plata Corredor, C. A., Stjernegaard Jeppesen, T., Örn, A., Pape, T., Hobern, D., Garnett, S., Little, H., DeWalt, R. E., Miller, J., Orrell, T., Aalbu, R., Abbott, J., Aedo, C., Aescht, E., et al. (2026). Catalogue of Life (Version 2026-09-11). Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgz5n Source database: The Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
- GBIF — species page and recorded occurrences.
- Wikidata — conservation status, measurements, names in other languages. Q200400, CC0 1.0.
- Wikipedia — overview, from the article “Bat-eared fox”, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Photo — Giles Laurent, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. File page.
- Range map — Chermundy, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. File page.
Last updated: 4 October 2026