#it can also be mating behavior or more likely a threat display because spiders are territorial and you are a giant potential predator

[healingheartdogs]

Quickest way to start fights in animal related ares of the internet is to say simple factual statements that people don't want to admit to themselves like

"your dog is not displaying guilt and does not know what it did wrong, dogs do not feel guilt or make connections between actions and delayed consequences like that, you're just attempting to rationalize wanting to punish your dog out of anger or frustration"

or

"your pet is not doing this thing you find annoying or hurtful out of spite, animals are not spiteful, you are projecting your own feelings on them because you're upset and want to feel justified for your upset reactions"

or

"handling your exotic animals is for your own enjoyment and benefit, not theirs, your spider/snake/mantid/gecko/whatever is not asking you for 'uppies' because it loves you and wants you to hold it, it just recognizes you as the warm creature that gives it food sometimes if even that, that behavior you're definitely misinterpreting is probably just them seeking warmth, seeking food, or even actually a threat display because you are a giant potential danger to them"

[tvtiokistwimicmptgxz-blog]

Bat-eared Fox (Otocyon megalotis) – Hanging out with its mate, very close to their den

Photographed in Tanzania, Africa from a safari vehicle, no cover

Click on the image or press the L key to view at larger size

This is one of the two Bat-eared Foxes that we encountered while our guide was driving us from Lake Ndutu to Ngorongoro Crater and was the only time we’ve seen this species in two trips to Africa. The two foxes didn’t seem at all disturbed by our presence and one of the two kept closing its eyes and dozing off to sleep.

======================= From Wikipedia: The bat-eared fox (Otocyon megalotis) is a species of fox found on the African savanna, named for its large ears, which are used for thermoregulation. Fossil records show this canid first appeared during the middle Pleistocene, about 800,000 years ago. It is considered a basal canid species, resembling ancestral forms of the family.

The bat-eared fox (also referred to as Delalande’s fox, long-eared fox, big-eared fox, and black-eared fox) has tawny fur with black ears, legs, and parts of the pointed face. It averages 55 centimetres (22 in) in length (head and body), with ears 13 centimetres (5.1 in) long. It is the only species in the genus Otocyon. The name Otocyon is derived from the Greek words otus for ear and cyon for dog, while the specific name megalotis comes from the Greek words mega for large and otus for ear.

Habitat: The bat-eared fox commonly occurs in short grasslands, as well as the more arid regions of the savanna. It prefers bare ground and areas where grass is kept short by grazing ungulates. It tends to hunt in these short grass and low shrub habitats. However, it does venture into areas with tall grasses and thick shrubs to hide when threatened.

In addition to raising their young in dens, bat-eared foxes use self-dug dens for shelter from extreme temperatures and winds. They also lie under acacia trees in South Africa to seek shade during the day.

Diet: The bat-eared fox is predominantly an insectivore that uses its large ears to locate its prey. About 80–90% of their diet is harvester termites (Hodotermes mossambicus). When this particular species of termite is not available, they feed on other species of termites and have also been observed consuming other arthropods such as ants, beetles, crickets, grasshoppers, millipedes, moths, scorpions, spiders, and rarely birds, small mammals, reptiles, and fungi. The insects they eat fulfill the majority of their water intake needs. The bat-eared fox refuses to feed on snouted harvester termites, likely because it is not adapted to tolerate termites’ chemical defense.

Dentition: The teeth of the bat-eared fox are much smaller and reduced in shearing surface formation than teeth of other canid species. This is an adaptation to its insectivorous diet. Due to its unusual teeth, the bat-eared fox was once considered as a distinct subfamily of canids (Otocyoninae). However, according to more recent examinations, it is more closely related to the true foxes of the genus Vulpes. Other research places the genus as an outgroup which is not very closely related to foxes. The bat-eared fox is an old species that was widely distributed in the Pleistocene era.

Foraging: Bat-eared foxes usually hunt in groups, mostly in pairs and groups of three. Individuals forage alone after family groups break in June or July and during the months after cub birth. Prey is located primarily by auditory means, rather than by smell or sight. Foraging patterns vary between seasons and coincide with termite availability. In the midsummer, individuals begin foraging at sunset, continuing throughout the night, and fading into the early morning. Foraging is almost exclusively diurnal during the winter it usually occurs in patches, which match the clumped prey resources, such as termite colonies, that also occur in patches. Groups are able to forage on clumps of prey in patches because they do not fight each other for food due to their degree of sociality and lack of territoriality.

Behavior: In the more northern areas of its range (around Serengeti), they are nocturnal 85% of the time. However, around South Africa, they are nocturnal only in the summer and diurnal during the winter.

Bat-eared foxes are highly social animals. They often live in pairs or groups of up to 15 individuals, and home ranges of groups either overlap substantially or very little. Individuals forage, play, and rest together in a group, which helps in protection against predators. Social grooming occurs throughout the year, mostly between mature adults, but also between young adults and mature adults.

Visual displays are very important in communication among bat-eared foxes. When they are looking intently at something, the head is held high, eyes are open, ears are erect and facing forward, and the mouth is closed. When an individual is in threat or showing submission, the ears are pulled back and lying against the head and the head is low. The tail also plays a role in communication. When an individual is asserting dominance or aggression, feeling threatened, playing, or being sexually aroused, the tail is arched in an inverted U shape. Individuals can also use piloerection, which occurs when individual hairs are standing straight, to make it appear larger when faced with extreme threat. When running, chasing, or fleeing, the tail is straight and horizontal.

AB2A9966-1_fCAFlkr

Posted by Ron Fredrick on 2019-08-22 05:00:16

Tagged: , Bat-eared Fox , Otocyon megalotis

The post Bat-eared Fox (Otocyon megalotis) – Hanging out with its mate, very close to their den appeared first on Good Info.