Colchester Zoo welcomes worlds smallest fox
The small but mighty addition joins resident male Otis at the zoo.
Colchester Zoo has introduced a new member to its animal family - Pinky, a fennec fox and the smallest fox species in the world.
Pinky, who was born in March 2025, arrived at the zoo from Longleat Safari Park on 21st January 2026. She joined Otis, the male fennec fox already living at the zoo, following a recommendation as part of an EAZA Ex situ Programme (EEP). Colchester Zoo hopes the pair will bond and may welcome pups together in the future.
Fennec foxes are monogamous animals that live in small family units with their offspring. The female fox gives birth to a litter of two to five pups after approximately 50 to 53 days of gestation. During this period, the female stays in a burrow with the pups while the male forages for food to provide for the family.
Adult fennec foxes are significantly smaller compared to red foxes, weighing just 1.5kg on average and measuring between 24 and 41cm in length. They are prized for their distinctive large ears, which enhance their hearing to detect prey moving across the sand or underground in their native Sahara Desert habitat.
Despite being classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, fennec foxes are vulnerable to threats from the illegal pet trade and capture for exhibition purposes.
Colchester Zoo supports conservation efforts for the species by engaging in breeding programmes, educational initiatives, and partnerships with other conservation organisations globally. Visitors can also help support the work being done to protect fennec foxes by adopting Pinky, donating to the zoo, or simply stopping by to see her and Otis near Lion Rock during a visit.