The Fennec Fox

Would you trade your paws for a pair of sneakers?

In this episode of Wild and Kind Kids, we journey to the deserts of North Africa to meet Tazzy, a curious fennec fox who loves collecting mysterious treasures left behind by humans. When she discovers a pair of sneakers, she's convinced she's finally found the secret to becoming faster, stronger, and more adventurous. But as Tazzy soon learns, the desert has a funny way of reminding every animal that it was designed for its own amazing home.

Along the way, kids will learn about the world’s smallest canine, including: 

• How their giant ears help them find prey and keep them cool 
• The ways they find water 
• Why it pays to come out at night in the desert

Wild and Kind Kids is a screen-free podcast for curious kids and their grown ups.  Every episode combines an original animal adventure with real science, helping children build curiosity, empathy, and a love for the natural world.

Perfect for family listening, homeschool, classrooms, quiet time, bedtime, or your next road trip.

Keep exploring:

• Download a fennec fox coloring sheet 
• Follow us on Instagram @wildandkindkidspod
• Find more resources or request an animal at wildandkindkids.com 

Learn along with us and explore some of the resources we consulted:

• Fennec Fox (National Geographic Kids) 
• Fennec Fox (San Diego Zoo) 
• Fennec Fox Fact Sheet (Nature) 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Welcome to Wild and Kind Kids, y'all. And a special welcome to our members of the Wild and Kind Kids Club. It's week two. Let's start our time together with a little stretch. I want you to stretch your hands high over your head. Now bring them down until they are right on top. Good stretching, Eliza. Nice.

SPEAKER_01 0:26

I'm a kitty cat stretching.

SPEAKER_00 0:29

Alright. Now bring your hands down until they are right on top of your head. And stretch your fingers out wide to the sides. As wide as you can. Wider. Nice Lincoln. Wider. Okay. You look like you have giant ears. But still not quite as big as today's animal. Because today we're meeting an animal whose ears look way too big for its body. Why would an animal need ears that huge?

SPEAKER_01 1:02

The better to heel you with.

SPEAKER_00 1:04

I guess we'll find out. Let's get learning. I'm Carrie, and I grew up on a zoo.

SPEAKER_01 1:14

I'm Lincoln. I'm Eliza. And we're in the world about animals.

SPEAKER_00 1:20

Welcome to the Wild Kind Kids Podcast. Hi, Lincoln and Eliza.

SPEAKER_01 1:29

Hi, Mom!

SPEAKER_00 1:30

Today, we are meeting one of my favorite animals from the zoo where I grew up. We had one of these critters named Taz, and he was super fast, super cute, and very, very vocal. Okay, listeners, can you get it in three? Shout it out when you know. Clue number one, they are the smallest members of the canine family. Number two, they live where it is really, really hot. And three, their fur is the color of sand. What is it?

SPEAKER_01 2:07

The fenic fox! The animals is a hey, hey!

SPEAKER_00 2:11

Yes! Today we are talking about fennec foxes, the smallest foxes in the world. Their bodies are only about the size of a small house cat, and they are covered in soft, cream-colored and golden fur with a black-tipped tail. Those colors really help it camouflage in the sand where they live, because they live in the deserts of North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Lincoln and Eliza hit us with some finic fox facts.

SPEAKER_01 2:42

They are made for life in the desert. They don't even need a water bottle.

SPEAKER_00 2:47

Yes, finic foxes, like we said, live in the desert. And these deserts are incredibly dry places, and it can be very hard to find water. So they've adapted in amazing ways. Instead of relying on ponds or puddles, they get most of their water from the plants and animals that they eat. And that means a finnec fox can go a very long time without needing to drink freestanding water. But that is not all they have to survive in the desert. Lincoln, what else can you tell us?

SPEAKER_01 3:18

They have crazy big ears. If ours were the same size, they'd be like two feet long.

SPEAKER_00 3:24

Yes. So this is why we made giant ears on our heads at the start. Finnic fox ears seem enormous compared to their body. They're about six inches long, which is half the length of their entire body. So let's imagine this. If you're about four feet tall, having finic fox-size ears would mean that each of your ears would be two feet long. And those ears have a lot of different purposes. First, the Finnic fox is excellent at hearing. They can hear insects scurrying under the sand in the desert so they know where to dig. But those ears are also air conditioners. They are filled with blood vessels. Now, if you look at your skin, you might see a blood vessel. Those are the lines that carry blood throughout your body. The Finnic fox uses their blood vessels in their ears to actually release heat and cool down their body, which is just amazing. Okay, Eliza, what else helps them survive?

SPEAKER_01 4:31

They come out at night to beat the heat.

SPEAKER_00 4:33

Yes, they are nocturnal. What does that mean?

SPEAKER_01 4:36

Um, it means that they um like to stay out in the nighttime and don't want to be out in the sun or when it's morning.

SPEAKER_00 4:46

Exactly. And that is on purpose. The desert is the hottest during the day. By coming out at night, they skip the hottest part of the day. And that is why, despite the heat of the desert, they are covered in fur. That fur helps insulate them during the cold at night like a cozy coat. Okay, can I hear maybe one more way the Finnic fox survives in the desert? They're master diggers. Yes, they have these long curved claws and strong paws that help them dig super fast, even in dry desert sand. They dig to find food, hiding beneath the sand, but they also make these incredible underground homes called dens. Now, some dens are fairly small, but others can stretch for 15 feet or longer, and they can be home to an entire family of Finnick foxes, as many as 10. Some of those dens have multiple ways to get in and out, long tunnels, and different rooms for sleeping, resting, or raising their babies. And if you've ever dug in sand at the beach, you know how hard this must be. But those dens are super important because the desert, like we've said, can get really, really hot during the day. And underground, their dens stay much cooler than the sand above. And it's also a way to avoid predators that might come out during the day. Okay, y'all, I think it is time to meet one up close in our story of the day. As the sun begins to set across the horizon in North Africa and daytime comes to a close, the Sahara Desert is coming alive. During the day, the sun beats down on rolling sand dunes that stretch all the way to the horizon. The sand ripples like waves frozen in place. But as the sun sinks, the animals of the desert wake up. Tiny gerboas bounce across the dunes on long back legs, looking like rodent kangaroos. A pale desert hedgehog pokes its nose out of a burrow. And from a cozy underground tunnel lined with soft sand emerges Tassie, the fennec fox. First, her ears appear, her enormous ears, ears that look almost like they belong on a totally different animal. But if you ask Tassie, her ears weren't the most interesting thing about her. Not even close. The most interesting thing about Tassie was her collection. Tassie collected human things. Or at least things she was fairly certain belonged to humans. Some days, groups of humans would cross the sand as Tassie slept in her burrow. She would hear the distant sounds of laughter and chatter, and deep in her burrow, Tassie would smile. Because distant chatter often meant that humans left things behind. And that meant her collection was about to grow. There was the moon mirror that one could hold up and see how they would appear on the moon. It was actually a spoon. There were the sand shields made for keeping sand out of one's ears, a pair of sunglasses. And there was a very tickly face massager. A hairbrush.

SPEAKER_01 8:36

One day, Tassie said proudly, I will discover what these mysterious treasures do. You've been saying that for months.

SPEAKER_00 8:49

Tassie ignored this. She was busy studying a sock.

SPEAKER_01 8:54

Humans are such magical inventors, she said wistfully.

SPEAKER_00 8:59

The sock hung from a thorny bush and waved gently in the breeze.

SPEAKER_01 9:04

Hmm she tilted her head. A sleeping bag for a snake. It is not a sleeping bag for a snake, said Jet.

SPEAKER_00 9:15

We don't know that. Then she scampered off before Jet could respond. Because tonight was treasure hunting night. She trotted past a cluster of date palms. She climbed a dune. Then another and another. And just as the moon rose over the desert, her ears twitched. Something was moving beneath the sand. Tassie dug. But instead of a beetle, she discovered a bright red something. Tassie gasped. It was magnificent. The fabric on top was bright and colorful. There were strings that curled and looped in clever patterns. The bottom had strange ridges and grooves, just like the desert around her. It smelled of adventure. Clearly, this was no ordinary human treasure. This must be the greatest human invention ever. Tassie dragged it home immediately. Look, she announced. Jet looked up from his burrow. Oh dear.

SPEAKER_01 10:24

What? I'd thought we've moved past this.

SPEAKER_00 10:28

Never said Tassie, as she turned the object round and round to look at every inch.

SPEAKER_01 10:36

This is a masterpiece. What do you think it does?

SPEAKER_00 10:41

Jet examined it. Hmm. He walked around it once. Then twice. Then squinted one eye.

unknown 10:50

I think it's a hat.

SPEAKER_00 10:51

Tassie stared.

SPEAKER_01 10:53

A hat? For a very square headed animal.

SPEAKER_00 10:57

Tassie laughed.

SPEAKER_01 10:58

It doesn't go on your head. How do you know?

SPEAKER_00 11:02

Because Tassie paused. Actually, she wasn't sure. Jet pointed to the shiny metal moon mirror hanging on the wall of their burrow.

SPEAKER_01 11:16

You were very confident about that too. But it's a spoon. According to a tortoise, a very wise tortoise. I don't think he was white.

SPEAKER_00 11:27

Jet sighed.

SPEAKER_01 11:29

Spoon is a ridiculous wood. Well you need something to eat with if you have hand.

SPEAKER_00 11:35

For the next three days, Tassie studied the mysterious object. She measured it, she sniffed it, she stared at it from different angles. Eventually, Tassie noticed something very curious. The object was shaped a little bit like a foot. A very large foot, but a foot nonetheless. She studied her own paws. Then the object then her paws. Then the suddenly her eyes grew wide.

SPEAKER_01 12:09

I know what it is.

SPEAKER_00 12:11

Jet looked up.

SPEAKER_01 12:13

It's a foot holder. A what? A foot holder. Humans wear them on their feet.

SPEAKER_00 12:20

Jet blinked.

SPEAKER_01 12:22

Why?

SPEAKER_00 12:23

Tassie opened her mouth, then closed it. Then opened it again. I don't actually know. But now that she'd figured out the mystery, she couldn't stop thinking about it. Humans must wear foot holders for a reason. They must be useful, important, amazing. The more she thought about it, the less she liked looking at her own feet. They were furry. Furry on top, furry on the bottom, furry everywhere. The foot holder looked sleek. When she looked at her own feet next to it, they suddenly looked like tiny dust mops. One evening, she sat beside a jerboa, a tiny rodent with kangaroo like feet. The little desert rodent bounced effortlessly across the sand.

SPEAKER_01 13:13

You ever wish you had footholders?

SPEAKER_00 13:16

asked Tazie. The Jerboa stopped hopping and blinked. No Then he bounced away. Not very helpful. The next night, Tazzy made a decision. If humans could make footholders, so could she. The project quickly became bigger than expected. She collected strips of cloth and leather from old campsites. She spent hours building, tearing it down, then building it again. At one point, she accidentally tied three paws together. At another point, she got stuck inside her own invention. Twice. Finally, after many long evenings of work, she stepped back, and before her stood the most magnificent fox footholders the desert had ever seen. According to Tassie, I mean the desert had not been consulted. She slipped them on. Perfect. She took a step, then another, then another. The footholders made her feel fast. Stylish, important. She strutted across the dunes. She posed dramatically on a rock. She attempted a moon walk. That did not go well. But overall, she felt fabulous. The next afternoon, Tassie woke up excited to wear her footholders again. The sand was warm, the sky was bright blue, everything seemed wonderful. For approximately twelve minutes. Then she noticed something. Her feet were hot, very hot. The sand kept slipping into the footholders, tiny grains working their way into every corner. She stopped to shake them out, then had to stop again and again and again. Soon she was spending more time dumping sand out of her footholders than actually walking. This is annoying. Then she tried digging. Finnick foxes are excellent diggers. Usually. But the footholders kept getting in the way. Instead of digging a neat little hole, she mostly buried herself, which was embarrassing, especially because a desert hedgehog saw the whole thing. You okay? asked the hedgehog. Of course.

SPEAKER_01 15:47

I'm just doing engineering.

SPEAKER_00 15:49

Looks uncomfortable. It is. Then a hot wind began to blow across the dunes. Tassie hurried toward home, but now the footholders felt heavy. The sand felt deeper, and every step felt harder than the last. By the time she reached her family's burrow, she was exhausted. She kicked off the footholders. And immediately sighed with relief. Her paws sank into the cool evening sand. Jet watched quietly, then sat down beside Tassie. For a while, neither spoke.

SPEAKER_01 16:28

Finally, Tazzy said, I think humans are very clever.

SPEAKER_00 16:33

Jet nodded.

SPEAKER_01 16:35

I agree. They invented footholders. They did.

SPEAKER_00 16:40

Tazzy looked down at her furry feet.

SPEAKER_01 16:42

I wish our feet were more like bears.

SPEAKER_00 16:45

Jet smiled. Then he gently nudged one of Tazzy's paws.

SPEAKER_01 16:51

Do you know who else is clever? Dudoa? That's not who I'm thinking of. The hedgehog? Sure, but not on my mind. The camel? Of course, but I'm thinking of something different.

SPEAKER_00 17:05

Tazzie thought hard.

SPEAKER_01 17:07

I give up.

SPEAKER_00 17:08

Jet looked out across the moonlit dunes.

SPEAKER_01 17:12

The desert. The desert? The desert made camels' feet wide.

SPEAKER_00 17:19

Tassie nodded.

SPEAKER_01 17:20

In the Jarboa's long legs.

SPEAKER_00 17:23

Another nod.

SPEAKER_01 17:25

In your furry paws.

SPEAKER_00 17:27

Tassie looked down. Jet continued.

SPEAKER_01 17:31

The fur on your feet protects you from hot sand.

SPEAKER_00 17:35

Tassie wiggled her toes.

SPEAKER_01 17:38

It does? It does. It also helps you move across sand.

SPEAKER_00 17:44

She thought about all the walking she'd done before the footholders. The digging, the running, all the exploring. The desert had given her exactly what she needed. She just hadn't noticed. Humans invented footholders, but nature invented her feet. Tassie looked out across the dunes, and then she did what every sensible Finnick fox would do. She ran. Up one dune, down another, up an even bigger one. Sand sprayed behind her, her giant ears flapped in the wind, her furry paws skimmed across the desert sand. Halfway down a dune, she suddenly skidded to a stop. Something was sticking out of the sand. She gasped a new treasure. She dug furiously, faster than ever before. Jet finally caught up.

SPEAKER_01 18:45

What is it this time?

SPEAKER_00 18:47

Tassie held up a mitten. She studied it carefully, turned it upside down, squinted one eye, and then nodded.

SPEAKER_01 18:57

Obviously, a sleeping bag for a squirrel.

SPEAKER_00 19:01

Before Jet could answer, Tassie bounded over the next dune. Off in search of her next mystery. All right, friends, it's time for our science connection. And clearly, there's some misinformation in this story. Spoons are not moon mirrors, after all. But Tazzy's furry feet, those are a real desert adaptation. Because as you've probably started to pick up, Finnic foxes are proud members of Adaptation Nation. Yes, they live in the desert, and the desert can be one of the most extreme ecosystems on Earth. During the day, temperatures in the Sahara Desert can climb over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The sun beats down on the sand, and there is very little shade. And water can be very hard to find. And sand itself is a very unique type of ground to walk across, dig in, and build in. So to survive, finic foxes actually have thick fur growing on the bottoms of their paws. So that description of tiny dust mops wasn't too far off. Why do they have these furry feet? Well, imagine walking barefoot across hot desert sand on a sunny day. Ouch! That fur helps protect a finic fox's feet from the heat. It also helps them move across the loose sand, and it's kind of like having built-in desert slippers. Scientists call special features like these adaptations. Adaptations are body parts, behaviors, or abilities that helps an animal survive in its habitat. So while humans invented shoes to help protect our feet, nature came up with a different solution for the Finnneck fox, but one that's just as useful.

SPEAKER_01 20:58

Now it's time for your wild and kind mission.

SPEAKER_00 21:03

Pack it in and pack it out. Tazzie loved finding human treasures in the desert. But in real life, leaving human things behind can be dangerous for animals. Animals can get tangled in our trash or mistake the things we leave behind for food. So as you adventure this summer, make sure that if you bring it in, you bring it out. We often take a few extra bags with us so we can safely and easily pick up litter left behind by others, with a grown-up's permission, of course.

SPEAKER_01 21:35

So pack it in and pack it out.

SPEAKER_00 21:38

When we bring something into nature, we bring it home too.

SPEAKER_01 21:44

Before we go, it's time for wild and kind trivia.

SPEAKER_00 21:49

Last week, we tried to stump you with a riddle about the mountain lion. Did you get it? Ready for another riddle about an animal we haven't covered yet? Here we go. I am covered in bright orange and black patterns. I walk through the desert on short, sturdy legs. And I am one of the only venomous lizards in the world. What animal am I? Talk it over with your family and tune in next time to hear the answer. See you then, wild and kind kids. This podcast is produced by John, also known as Lincoln and Eliza's dad. If you are enjoying these adventures, please subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Leave us a review and tell your friends. To find a coloring sheet for today's creature, explore more episodes, or request an animal for a future story.com. You can also find us on Instagram at Wild and Kind Kids Pod. Thanks for exploring with us, friends. Until next time.