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Have you heard of a bat-eared fox?

Step into the enclosure with bat-eared foxes at the National Zoo!

Two dark brown eyes, gray, raccoon-like fur and the largest ears you’ve ever seen. It’s kind of like a coyote, but fluffier (and much cuter).

Imagine the bat-eared fox staring back at you from less than a foot away — as it eats a dead mouse out of your hand.

This is exactly what happened when we sniffed our way over to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, for the year’s final “Matt About Town” installment at the zoo featuring 1-year-old Ziggy and 2-year-old Lando.

Though they’ve only been at the zoo for a short time, staff say these four-legged friends have already made the quite the impression. They’re a little shy at first but are also quite charismatic.

And as we found out — food can be a big motivator.

Step inside the habitat of Ziggy and Lando, in a rare behind-the-scenes look you won’t see anywhere else, to learn more about the bat-eared fox, and how you can see them for yourself at the zoo!

While we can’t guarantee a face-to-face meeting, your encounter is sure to magical regardless.

Hear “Matt About Town” first every Tuesday and Thursday on 103.5 FM!

If you have a story idea you’d like Matt to cover, email him, or chat with him on Instagram and TikTok.

Check out all “Matt About Town” episodes here!

How to meet some of the National Zoo’s tiniest furry canine friends

Clocking in at just under 2.5 pounds and about a foot long, the fennec foxes at the Smithsonian's National Zoo prove that good things come in small packages. In the latest episode of “Matt About Town,” WTOP’s Matt Kaufax got the rare opportunity to go behind the scenes to play with these four-legged friends to learn a little more about what makes them so unique—and see how the Zoo is helping their species thrive in the wild.
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