Bat-Eared Foxes Become 'First-Time Parents' After Welcoming 2 Babies at Memphis Zoo: 'A Perfect Pair'

Gabrielle Chung
·2 min read

Congratulations are in order for a pair of bat-eared foxes who recently welcomed two babies at the Memphis Zoo in Tennessee.

The zoo announced the happy news in a statement on Thursday, writing on its official website: "Raj and Helen our bat-eared foxes are now parents. Helen gave birth on May 25th."

"Raj and Helen are both first-time parents. These two were first introduced to the public back in February and have been a perfect pair," the post read. "The new family is still spending a lot of time in their den, but the kits may be spotted on exhibit exploring their new surroundings or nursing."

The sex of the baby foxes has not been determined at this time.

Memphis zoo Bat-eared fox

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According to the zoo, their births are a part of the institution's new Species Survival Plan.

"We're proud to announce the birth of 2, yes 2, bat-eared fox kits," Memphis Zoo shared on its social media accounts, alongside a video of the kits. "They can be seen on exhibit inside Cat Country. We recommend being very quiet if you want to see them."

With the new addition, the zoo now has four bat-eared foxes in its exhibit.

Helen came from Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, while Raj was originally from the Oklahoma City Zoo, according to the Memphis Zoo website.

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The baby foxes arrived just a month after the Memphis Zoo welcomed a Pere David's deer fawn named April. In a blog post, the zoo said the birth was "extremely significant because this species is extinct in the wild."

Though bat-eared foxes are not considered endangered, they are often hunted for their pelts and the species is losing its living space to humans, according to the African Wildlife Foundation.

The foundation reports that there are currently two distinct populations native to more than 10 African countries.