Two rare fennec foxes born at Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire have now been named for the first time, after a difficult few months.

The twin female fox kits were born at Longleat in April 2024 weighing just 46 grams, and had to be hand-reared by keepers after their mother lost a previous litter because she could not produce enough milk.

A third kit was born in the same litter, but died shortly after birth.

The rare birth has since sparked nationwide interest in the twins, who are vital to the European Breeding Programme, with fewer than 10 fennec foxes having been born in Europe this year.

At five months old, the kits now weigh 15 times their birth weight and new images have revealed their transformation, along with the reason behind their peculiar names.

These twin foxes were the only two to survive from the litterThese twin foxes were the only two to survive from the litter (Image: Longleat Safari Park)

“When they were born, they were known as Dot and Other, as one of them had a visible dot on them,” explained keeper Samantha Peeke, who helped hand-rear the kits.

“We were thinking about what to name them and have tried a few different names, but Dot and Other just stuck."

Fennec foxes are native to the deserts of North Africa, and use their unusually large ears to hunt small mammals and insects underground.

Although it is not ideal for the foxes to be hand-reared by humans, keepers at Longleat say they had no other options and the decision was a last resort.

“We’re so proud of how far the kits have come," added Samantha.

“Now the kits are older we are taking a step back and it’s been wonderful to watch them exhibiting all their natural behaviours.

Dot and Other are now thriving at LongleatDot and Other are now thriving at Longleat (Image: Longleat Safari Park)

“They are spending lots of time in the outdoor Fennec Fox area which has the scents of their parents, Enzi and Zuri.

“They spend lots of time zooming and climbing around their environment, digging through the sand and foraging as well as catching their own insects.

“Likewise, once the kits are back in their indoor home, Enzi and Zuri can scent them as they explore the outdoor area. It’s a long process introducing animals to each other, even if they are related.

“Getting each group used to the other’s scent is really important, and then we’ll look at letting them meet through a divider and getting nose to nose."

Dot and Other are expected to reach full maturity at nine to 10 months old, when they will weigh anywhere between 1,200 and 1,400 grams.