Bat-Eared Fox Page #5

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The Cape Fox mother will keep her distance for a while

leaving her youngster to defend

for himself.

As long as Ajax is around,

the pup will have to wait

for his next meal.

As it turns out, there are big events

afoot for the bat-eared foxes.

As the sun begins to set,

the pups are heading out

to forage for themselves.

The whole family sets off together.

For Selene and Ajax,

this marks a turning point.

It's been hard work

caring for the pups,

but they're on the way

to taking care of themselves.

No longer tied to the den,

the pups can explore the landscape.

The pups...

and the family itself

are quickly coming of age.

In the Kalahari,

night is the time of the hunter.

And now the bat-eared fox family

can make the most of it.

They'll hunt like this for hours

and there'll be some surprises

along the way.

For the pups, this gecko will offer

another chance to test their skills.

Flash already knows insects,

but lizards still present a challenge.

Of course,

Ajax knows exactly what to do.

Flash begs for a bite,

but she must learn to catch her own.

It's time for Ajax to give her a lesson,

he stuns the gecko,

then waits as his daughter

draws near.

She's happy to try a morsel...

now that it's stopped running around.

Not far away the cape fox mother

is also out foraging.

For these accomplished omnivores,

catching a gecko is second nature.

The young cape foxes know just how

to handle fresh meat.

Even as pups,

they have the killer instinct.

A night-jar chose the wrong place

to rest.

These ferocious youngsters

will go after anything

from a bird to a baby meerkat.

But on the other side of the river,

the young bat-eared foxes

are still learning.

For Kinky, a scorpion is

definitely a mouthful.

Which end should he grab?

Instinctively, he seems to know

it's not entirely harmless.

But subdued,

a scorpion is a crunchy treat.

Meanwhile,

Adventure's inquisitive streak...

leads him off into the night.

But he's not alone.

The lion is closer than

the foxes realize.

And in an instant,

it's too late.

Selene searches for her youngster,

but he's gone.

For a moment,

Ajax seems to consider a run

at the lion.

But for all his posturing,

there's nothing he can do.

Another young member of his family

has been taken.

The family regroups at their old den,

seeking safety on familiar ground.

For the bat-eared fox family,

times are tough.

They've lost half the litter

only two pups remain.

The rains have passed

and winter comes to the Kalahari.

It's June, and Kinky and Flash

are nearly grown.

The land is dry again.

And food is dwindling.

But there are more than enough

termites around.

Their mounds are everywhere

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