What small nocturnal fox with oversized ears lives in the Sahara desert?

The small nocturnal fox with oversized ears that lives in the Sahara Desert is the fennec fox.

The fennec fox, Vulpes zerda, is the smallest member of the dog family, or Canidae. It is native to the deserts of North Africa, with a range extending from Western Sahara and Mauritania eastward through Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula. Its enormous ears are the largest relative to body size among canids.

Those ears are not merely ornamental. They help the fox hear insects and small animals moving beneath the sand, while also releasing body heat in an environment where daytime temperatures can be extreme. Its pale, sandy coat reflects sunlight, and dense fur on the feet helps protect the paw pads from hot sand.

Fennec foxes are mainly active at night and shelter in underground burrows during the day. Their diet includes insects, small mammals, birds, eggs, and plants. They are often confused with kit foxes or other desert-adapted foxes, but their exceptionally large ears and Saharan distribution make them distinctive. The name “fennec” likely comes from the Arabic fanak.