I am so excited about the latest "little guy" on my easel! At first glance, you may think this adorable duo - doting mom and her slightly annoyed cub - are bat-eared foxes, but look again, especially at the shape of the ears... These are Cape foxes!
Here are a few fun facts about the elusive Cape Fox:
- While a bat-eared fox has round ears, the Cape fox has triangular-shaped ears.
- Also unlike the bat-eared fox, the Cape fox is the only ‘true' fox in southern Africa. ‘True foxes’ are grouped together by their distinct characteristics: a flat skull, a tipped tail and a pointed muzzle.
- An adult Cape fox can weigh about 2.6kg – just a little more than a bag of sugar!
- A Cape fox feeds on insects, mice and other small animals. On occasion, they may even eat wild fruit and carrion.
- They are primarily nocturnal, meaning that they are most active during the night.
- Unfortunately, these foxes are considered vermin by many farmers in South Africa due to the belief that they kill lambs.
- According to the Endangered Wildlife Trust, Cape foxes are classified as Least Concern under the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened species.
Now that you've learned a little something, take a load off and take in some art! Enjoy the behind-the-scenes creation process of my Cape foxes:
Now fast becoming a tradition, I'm opening the floor to title ideas for the artwork. The best idea will win a set of three of my downloadable wall art illustrations! Here's a little tip: I love a good pun and I definitely favour short, punchy titles.
Vote closes on 11 May 2023, and I'll notify the winner and announce the new title on the 15th on social media.
Good luck!
The heart-warming reference photo for this piece was shared with permission by Albert and Marietjie Froneman, who really went above and beyond to help me with ideas of other animals that might make a good addition to my "little guy" list.
Strauss, T. 2022, January 13, SA’s only ‘true fox’: Meet the beloved Cape fox. Getaway.