The Desert Fennec Fox

science

The Desert Fennec Fox

Learn about the fennec fox and how this small desert animal survives hot days and cold nights in the sand dunes.

Title

The Desert Fennec Fox

Seo_intro

Learn about the fennec fox and how this small desert animal survives hot days and cold nights in the sand dunes.

Reading Text

The fennec fox is a small animal that lives in very hot and dry deserts. During the daytime, the hot sun makes the desert dangerous. To stay cool and save energy, the fox sleeps in cool underground burrows. When the sun goes down and twilight begins, the fox comes out to hunt across the sandy dunes. The fox has very large ears. These big ears help it stay cool by releasing extra heat from its body. Its ears can also hear tiny sounds made by small animals under the sand. The fox has soft, thick fur on its paws. This fur protects its feet from the hot sand and helps it walk quietly. The fennec fox hunts at night for insects, lizards, and small birds. It does not need to drink open pools of water often because it gets moisture directly from its food. These special features help the small fennec fox live happily in the harsh desert.

Activities

Vocabulary

Items:

Label: burrows
Answer: def_1
Label: dunes
Answer: def_2
Label: releasing
Answer: def_3
Label: paws
Answer: def_4
Label: moisture
Answer: def_5
Label: harsh
Answer: def_6

Definitions:

Text: holes or tunnels in the ground where animals sleep or hide
Text: hills of sand made by the wind in a desert or beach
Text: letting heat, air, or something go out into the open
Text: the feet of an animal that has claws or pads
Text: small amounts of water or wetness inside something
Text: very difficult, uncomfortable, or severe to live in

Fill In The Blanks:

Before: Rabbits and foxes dig underground
After: to hide from enemies and sleep safely.
Answer: burrows
Before: The camel walked slowly over the tall sand
After: in the Sahara Desert.
Answer: dunes
Before: The dog burned its soft
After: when it ran on the hot summer sidewalk.
Answer: paws
Before: Desert plants store
After: in their leaves so they can live without rain.
Answer: moisture
Before: Winter in the arctic is very cold and
After: for wild animals.
Answer: harsh

Comprehension

Questions:

Text: The fennec fox hunts during the hottest part of the midday sun.
Answer: false
Text: The fox sleeps inside underground burrows to stay cool.
Answer: true
Text: The large ears of the fennec fox help release extra body heat.
Answer: true
Text: Thick fur on its paws protects the fox's feet from hot sand.
Answer: true
Text: The fennec fox must drink water from large rivers every single day.
Answer: false

Scrambled:

Answer: The fennec fox lives in dry deserts.
Answer: Large ears keep the small fox cool.
Answer: It hunts small insects across the sand.
Answer: Thick fur on its paws protects its feet.
Answer: The fox gets water from its daily food.

Written Expression

Questions:

Text: Describe the fennec fox and explain one way its body helps it survive in the desert.
Text: Imagine you are exploring a desert at twilight. Write about what you see and hear.

Examples:

Example 1: The fennec fox has very big ears. These ears help it stay cool in the hot sand and hear small insects underground.

Example 2: At twilight, the sky turns orange and purple over the quiet dunes. I feel the cool wind and hear a small fox walking softly on the sand.

Critical Thinking

Title: Critical Thinking & Discussion

Instructions:

Why is it safer and easier for a small desert predator to hunt at night instead of during the daytime?
If a fennec fox were moved to a cold, snowy forest, what physical traits would be helpful, and what traits would cause problems?