Racine County Zoo welcomes "Zorro" the Fennec fox into animal family

RACINE -- The Racine County Zoo has welcomed a new addition to their family! Introducing "Zorro," a three-year-old male Fennec fox acquired from the Virginia Zoo, earlier this week.

Zorro

Zorro joins Sahara, a female Fennec fox already residing at the zoo as an animal ambassador.

"We're so excited to welcome such a wonderful little animal to our Zoo family and to the community. He'll make an excellent companion to Sahara and guests will enjoy seeing them both on exhibit next summer," said Executive Director of the Racine Zoo, Beth Heidorn.

Zorro was born at Walt Disney's Animal Kingdom in March of 2012, and at six-months-old, he was sent to the Virginia Zoo to take part in the zoo's breeding program. He produced two offspring before being sent to Racine.

The Fennec fox is the smallest fox in the world, weighing 2-3 pounds and approximately 9-16 inches in length. Fennec foxes can be found in the Sahara Desert and in the deserts of Northern Africa and Northern Sinai. They have thick fur which keeps them warm during frigid cold nights and protects them from the heat of the day within their desert environment.

One noticeable characteristic of the Fennec fox is its oversized ears, which are around 6-inches long. Their ears help to regulate their body temperature and keep them cool. Fennec foxes are nocturnal, spending daylight within their dens and becoming more active at night when temperatures are cooler.