Baby bat-eared foxes are born at zoo — and may be the cutest thing you see all week
Two baby bat-eared foxes born in a zoo in Ohio are stealing hearts on the internet.
The two fox kits were born on April 6, the Cincinnati Zoo announced in an April 17 blog post. The zookeepers gave the bat-eared fox parents, Frankie and Otis, the space they needed to rear the kits in the coming weeks while monitoring the family on camera.
The zoo staff was able to watch the birth live, the zoo said.
“It was exciting, amazing, and brought a full spectrum of emotions as we watched for kit movement, first attempts at nursing, and the reaction from first time mom, Frankie, and proven dad, Otis,” the zoo said. “Cameras have captured footage of first moments of eyes open, suckling sounds during nursing, kit grooming from both parents, etc.”
The kits are male, according to the zoo, and both weigh over 240 grams as of April 17.
As the days passed, Frankie and Otis began rotating supervising their babies so the other could have some “me time,” the zoo said. The zookeepers are building trust with Frankie and Otis to help rear the kits in the future, an approach that the zoo calls “co-rearing.”
The kits already have fans.
“Look at those droopy little ears,” one person commented on the zoo’s Facebook post about their births. “So excited to see these two grow up.”
“Congratulations Frankie and Otis and all the staff -how adorable,” another person wrote.
“They’re adorable,” another wrote.
The kits aren’t yet available for viewing to the public, but the zoo promised it would provide an update on when they would be visible.
“They are growing up quickly and we are trying to soak up and capture every moment we can,” the zoo said. “Stay tuned for updates as they develop personalities, hit new milestones, and continue being the cutest!”
This story was originally published April 18, 2023 at 6:08 PM with the headline "Baby bat-eared foxes are born at zoo — and may be the cutest thing you see all week."
