Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Northern Cape · Best Aug to Oct
9 places
Wildlife
Bat-eared Fox
Otocyon megalotis
The bat-eared fox (Otocyon megalotis) is a species of fox found on the African savanna, named for its large ears, which are used for thermoregulation.
Species insights
When to visit
Recorded year-round
Recorded in every month, so no month is the wrong month to look. We would rather say that than invent a best time.
Best monthsAny month
Recorded in Northern Cape~326 records
Curve from 816 national iNaturalist observations, not from one property and not from this province. Single-month spikes are discarded as upload artefacts, and below 50 records we show no curve at all.
Where you'll find it
Northern Cape and beyond
Provinces where Bat-eared Fox is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
815 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Bat-eared Fox
Stays that give back
Across the Northern Cape
Twee Rivieren Rest Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
From R 450a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Sendelingsdrif Rest Camp
Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park
From R 311a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Mata-Mata Rest Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
From R 450a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Grootkolk Wilderness Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
From R 2,634a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Bitterpan Wilderness Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
From R 2,634a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Motswedi Camp Site
Mokala National Park
From R 628a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Kokerboomkloof Camp Site
Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park
From R 311a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Skilpad Rest Camp
Namaqua National Park
From R 953a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Mosu Lodge
Mokala National Park
From R 1,401a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Kieliekrankie Wilderness Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
From R 2,634a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Nossob Rest Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
From R 450a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Gharagab Wilderness Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
From R 2,634a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Augrabies Falls Rest Camp
Augrabies Falls National Park
From R 362a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Lilydale Rest Camp
Mokala National Park
From R 1,206a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Kalahari Tented Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
From R 2,314a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Urikaruus Wilderness Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
From R 2,634a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
De Hoop Camping Site
Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park
From R 373a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
More stays nearby
Richmond Rooms
Richmond
From R 1,230a night
Mooifontein Farm
Colesberg
From R 1,486a night
Rooikloof Guest Farm
Sutherland
From R 1,600a night
Frontier River Resort
Northern Cape
From R 2,050a night
Tankwa Karoo Rest Camp
Tankwa Karoo National Park
From R 192a night
Elandsberg Rest Camp
Tankwa Karoo National Park
From R 1,741a night
The Apollis Cottage
Concordia, Springbok
From R 1,700a night
The Karoo
Next stop
South Africa's vast inland heart: silence, stars, and wide horizons
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Bat-eared Fox
Hosts have recorded the Bat-eared Fox at stays in or beside Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park and Mokala National Park.
When to go, park by park
Here all yearEasiest viewing
| Park | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kgalagadi | Here | Here | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Here | Here | Here | Here | Here | Here | Here |
| Ai-Ais/Richtersveld | Here | Here | Here | Here | Here |
Darker months are each park's own best season, when thinner bush or scarce water makes viewing easier. A sighting is never guaranteed.
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
IUCN Red List
Least Concern
Species
Otocyon megalotis
Records
815
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Bat-eared Fox on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Bat-eared Fox in Northern Cape?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Bat-eared Fox at stays in or beside Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, Mokala National Park, Augrabies Falls National Park and Namaqua National Park. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
Where can you see the Bat-eared Fox in South Africa?
The Bat-eared Fox is most recorded in Northern Cape (40% of records), Western Cape (35% of records), Eastern Cape (14% of records), based on 815 iNaturalist observations. 17 places to stay on Spekboom in Northern Cape have recorded the Bat-eared Fox on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Bat-eared Fox?
The Bat-eared Fox is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May; Mokala National Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May; Augrabies Falls National Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May; Namaqua National Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the conservation status of the Bat-eared Fox?
The Bat-eared Fox (Otocyon megalotis) is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
What is the Bat-eared Fox?
The bat-eared fox (Otocyon megalotis) is a species of fox found on the African savanna, named for its large ears, which are used for thermoregulation. Fossil records show this canid first appeared during the middle Pleistocene, about 800,000 years ago. It is considered a basal canid species, resembling ancestral forms of the family.