Oringo is in training to become a Zoo animal ambassador. He has already mastered the “cute factor.”
ster exhibits the kind of life skills he would need in the wild, explains Clint Lusardi, an animal care supervisor at the Zoo. “His name means ‘he who likes to hunt,’ and he loves pouncing on and trapping his toy mice,” Clint says.
Fennec Family Life
Fennec foxes are monogamous, and the parents live with their offspring in a family group (referred to as a skulk or leash) of up to 10 members. Their underground burrows can be over 30 feet in length and are quite elaborate—and expansive. It sounds like a big job, but these industrious little animals can dig with great speed, and the resulting burrows interconnect, forming a comfy, underground community. Fennec foxes line their dwelling with soft materials such as bits of fur and feathers to make them comfortable when they sleep during the day. When it comes to raising a family, there’s a cooperative system in place. After the female (called a vixen) gives birth to a litter of two to five kits, the male (a reynard) brings food and watches over the den until the kits are about four weeks old. As the youngest kits grow, their older siblings help with raising them.
Keep Your Ears Open
There could be a love connection forming at the Zoo. Oringo will be introduced to Akela, a female fennec fox who lives in the Children’s Zoo. “Fennecs are used to being part of a pair, and we hope they get
along and maybe even produce a litter,” Clint explains, adding that the foxes are particular about whom they cohabitate with. “Samesex pairings don’t really work well,” he says. “Even with siblings, they only get along for a while.” Romantic notions aside, Oringo has his hands—er, paws—full as he completes his animal ambassador training. “He’s already used to his collar, and he’s working on clicker training. He’s picking things up quickly,” Clint says, adding that from the beginning, he saw ambassador potential in the little fox. “He was the smallest in the litter but had the biggest attitude. And once we started handling him, he was very accepting and mellow.” Early handling is essential, Clint explains, because fennec foxes remember people very clearly. “The first people who work with a particular fox are the ones who have the best relationships with them,” he says. Akela, Oringo’s potential mate, is a good example. “If she hears my voice or sees me across the Children’s Zoo, she lets out a little high-pitched squeal,” Clints says. “It sounds like she’s in pain, but it’s really just excitement. And because she’s used to being handled, we can check her teeth, ears, and eyes when we need to, with no stress to her.” If his early laid-back temperament is any indication, Oringo should take to life as an ambassador with similar ease. And given his appearance and personality, those fuzzy amplifiers on his head are sure to pick up plenty of “awws” from his public. He’ll be up to his ears in admirers! SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL
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