Freshwater Biodiversity | WWF

Bat-eared Fox Cubs Born At Exmoor Zoo

Image caption,

The cubs have been kept hidden from visitors

Four bat-eared fox cubs have been born at a zoo in Devon, one of only two in the UK with a breeding pair.

The birth of the puppies at Exmoor Zoo - three sisters and one brother - has been a closely-guarded secret for the last six weeks, but they are now old enough to have visitors.

The only other breeding pair in the country is at Africa Alive in Norfolk.

Bat-eared foxes are native to the African savannah where they use their large ears to help them hunt termites.

Image caption,

Parents Vuko and Opal came from zoos in Poland and Germany

The curator at Exmoor Zoo, Derek Gibson said, "We have been carefully nurturing the puppies with extra feeds and lots of their parent's favourite food (mincemeat) and they are only now beginning to let the puppies have a share as they are starting to be weaned".

Image caption,

The cubs now need naming

Zoo staff are now asking visitors to help name the cubs.

The pup's father is called Vuko and was born in Ogrod Zoo in Wroclaw, Poland.

Their mother is called Opal and was born in Opel-Zoo in Frankfurt,Germany.

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Couple's Pet Food Success

A FAMILY run business has taken advantage of the country's most popular dog breed by creating a range of supplements for them.

Haxby-based www.Myfrenchbulldog.Co.Uk is the brainchild of husband and wife Michael and Faith Mateer, who own four of the bat-eared pooches, and decided to go into business when they grew frustrated at the lack of quality products available.

They canvassed other owners on Facebook by consulting them on the products they need, and quickly built up a following of 20,000 fans who advised them.

Mr Mateer, 30 and Mrs Mateer, 26, contacted suppliers and produced recipes based on their followers' recommendations to come up with a range of products, including supplements to help the dog's anxiety and digestion, help them maintain a healthy coat, and to help the four-legged friends produce enzymes.

Mr Mateer also runs www.Godecorate.Co.Uk and took on the challenge of setting up the online shop to help other owners.

He said:: "I've always had German Shepherds and when I got married and had children we came across the French Bulldog before they became really popular.

"We got really fed-up with lots of rubbish products that were problematic for them.

"French Bulldogs have a very sensitive digestive system and we used our knowledge and social media to ask people what worked and didn't work, and based on that feedback we put recipes together."

The French Bulldog is set to overtake the Labrador Retriever as the UK's most popular dog breed by the end of 2018 – the first time the Labrador will have been knocked off the top spot in 27 years.

The Mateers believe the pet's success with the likes of the Beckhams, Lady Gaga, Leonardo DiCaprio, Reese Witherspoon and Hugh Jackman has led to a rise in the number of owners, which has played into their hands by increasing the dog's popularity.

Mr Mateer added: "It hasn't surprised me how well we have done.

"It's surprising how fast it's taken off but it's come out of how popular the breed is.

"They are lovely around the family and many celebrities have got them, which has pushed their social media presence.

"I run a few businesses myself and have always been entrepreneurial but my wife is on the ground and networking at the same time we are expecting our third baby."

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