Our most attentive and patient visitors can now catch glimpses of our fennec fox pups (Vulpes zerda). Although they have already grown almost to the size of adults, they are still very cautious and timid. But sometimes, you may spot a curious little face with huge ears peeking out of the burrow.
You may also be lucky enough to see all three young fennecs together with their mother Lika, grandmother Lana, and older sister Liza. The best time to spot them is during feeding, in the afternoon, when you quietly approach the enclosure.
Three fennec pups were born at Mykolaiv Zoo on 17 June this year. Their mother is Lika and their father is Fafik.
Both parents were born here at our zoo. Fafik was hand-reared and grew up around people, but he was successfully introduced to a group of his own kind and has already fathered several pups. For safety reasons, Fafik is currently being kept in a neighbouring enclosure.
Of course, during their first few weeks, the pups stayed inside the burrow. Later, they gradually began venturing outside, but only when no one was around, after the zoo had closed. A camera trap was specially installed to observe the pups. Thanks to this useful device, the first video footage of the babies was recorded, allowing our staff to determine exactly how many pups there were.
The pups can now venture outside during the daytime as well, but at the slightest suspicious noise or movement, they immediately run back into their burrows. They currently have three very attentive “nannies” - their mother, grandmother, and older sister - who carefully watch over them and protect them, even attacking anyone who comes too close to the enclosure.
So, if you are lucky enough to spot the little fennecs, don’t rush. Watch them quietly and from a distance. Perhaps you will be the one to catch a glimpse of a curious little face with enormous ears briefly peeking out of the burrow.
