Tiny fox species arrives in Worcestershire

Alistair Binney,BBC Hereford and Worcesterand
Maisie Olah,BBC News, West Midlands
News imageAll Things Wild Fennec FoxAll Things Wild
Fennec Foxes are usually found in the Sahara desert

Two of the world's smallest foxes have travelled 1,500 miles to Worcestershire.

A pair of male Fennec Foxes arrived from a zoo in Hungary to All Things Wild in Honeybourne, Evesham, on Tuesday.

Pascal and Lazlow weigh less than 2 kilos (4lbs) and are 16 inches (40 cm) in length, with their ears standing at 6 inches (15 cm) tall.

Animal Manager Matt Parker said it had taken the zoo seven months to get the animals over due to challenges in the wake of Brexit.

News imageMatt Parker
Matt Parker said it had taken the zoo seven months to get the foxes over

"It is a problem faced by all zoos in the UK at the moment - there has been about an 85% drop off in animal transfers," Mr Parker said, adding that it had made it harder to conduct breeding programmes.

The government has been contacted for comment.

The animals' usual habitat is the Sahara desert and Mr Parker said they were usually active at dusk and dawn to avoid the heat.

Their big ears provide a large surface area where heat can escape.

Each enclosure has a cat flap so they can willingly go outside.

In summer, it will be easier for the animals to acclimatise to the British weather but they are used to some cold snaps as the Sahara desert drops in temperature at night.

The zoo hopes to bring in two compatible females when the pair are fully mature to start a breeding plan.

News imageAll Things Wild Fennec FoxAll Things Wild
The male Fennec Foxes travelled from a zoo in Hungary to Worcestershire

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