Fennec foxes are popular zoo animals due to their large ears and small size, but their welfare requires specific desert adaptations that are often overlooked in captive management.
Fennec fox welfare in captivity requires sand substrate deep enough for digging behavior, appropriate desert temperature management (they are cold-sensitive), nocturnal activity schedules, and social housing with conspecifics. Exhibits that fail to provide digging substrate, appropriate temperatures, or social contact see significantly higher stress indicators and stereotypic behaviors. Their popularity as exotic pets causes severe welfare harm — fennec foxes in domestic settings lack all the environmental conditions they need for psychological wellbeing.