Fennec Fox (Vulpes zerda) Fact Sheet: Distribution & Habitat

Widespread in northern Africa

(Asa et al. 2004; Wacher et al. 2015)

• Found in sandy deserts and other arid regions of northern Africa (Coetzee 1977; Harrison and Bates 1991; Asa and Cuzin 2013)
• Unclear if fennec fox occur outside of African continent (e.g., Arabian Peninsula) (Cunningham 2004; Asa and Cuzin 2013; Wacher et al. 2015)
• Sometimes confused for Rüppell’s fox (Vulpes rueppellii)
• Considered less common near permanent human settlements (Asa and Cuzin 2013)

Historic distribution

• Same as current distribution, except Sahara in northern Morocco (Cuzin 1996; Asa et al. 2004)
• Permanent human settlements in 1960s caused four local extirpations

Deserts

• Well adapted for deserts; can live independently of water sources (e.g., Gauthier-Pilters 1967; Noll-Banholzer 1979b; Schmidt-Nielsen 1979)
  • Annual rainfall typically less than 100 mm (4 in) per year (Asa et al. 2004; Asa and Cuzin 2013)
    • Southern edge of distribution: up to 300 mm (12 in)
  • Also see “Drinking” in Feeding
• Tolerate a wider range of habitats, compared to other canids (Wacher et al. 2015; Karssene, Chammem, et al. 2019)
  • Tolerate drier habitats (Burruss 2014)
  • Burrow in more sandy substrates
• Capable of living in remote desert areas with no or sparse vegetation (Cuzin 2003, as cited by Asa and Cuzin 2013; Asa et al. 2004)
  • Some found in coastal dunes on Atlantic coast (Brito et al. 2009; Wacher et al. 2015)

Habitat preferences

• Ideal habitat thought to be stable sand dunes (Coetzee 1977)
  • Typically, the only canid (fox-dog-wolf family) in large sand dune habitats (Wacher et al. 2015)

Fennec foxes are found across much of northern Africa.

Adapted from www.d-maps.com according to IUCN fact sheet. Click here for detailed distribution information (IUCN).