Cederberg Wilderness Area
Western Cape · Best Sep to Apr
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 Western Cape~285 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 Western Cape
Cederberg - Kliphuis
Cederberg Wilderness Area
From R 180a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Coot, Shoveler, Egret & Moorhen Cottages
Rocherpan Nature Reserve
From R 1,990a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Algeria Cottages
Cederberg Wilderness Area
From R 1,990a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Kingfisher Cottage
Rocherpan Nature Reserve
From R 1,500a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Flamingo Cottage
Rocherpan Nature Reserve
From R 1,430a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Oystercatcher Cottage
Rocherpan Nature Reserve
From R 1,430a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Sandpiper Cottage
Rocherpan Nature Reserve
From R 1,430a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Rietdak Cottage
Cederberg Wilderness Area
From R 1,580a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Waenhuis Cottage
Cederberg Wilderness Area
From R 960a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Garskraal Cottage
Cederberg Wilderness Area
From R 2,310a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Uitkyk Cottage
Cederberg Wilderness Area
From R 1,510a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Peerboom
Cederberg Wilderness Area
From R 1,490a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Sas se Werf
Cederberg Wilderness Area
From R 1,490a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Prik se Werf
Cederberg Wilderness Area
From R 1,490a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
West Coast National Park
West Coast National Park
From R 1,646a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Karoo Rest Camp
Karoo National Park
From R 437a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Bontebok Rest Camp
Bontebok National Park
From R 305a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
Agulhas Rest Camp
Agulhas National Park
From R 1,643a night
Bat-eared Fox recorded here
More stays nearby
Oceans Away
Benguela Cove, Hermanus
From R 43,712a night
Klein Waterval Riverside Lodge
Franschhoek
From R 3,425a night
Bitou River Lodge
Wittedrift, Plettenberg Bay
From R 2,250a night
Bartholomeus Klip Farmhouse
Riebeek Valley, Riebeek West
From R 5,636a night
Welgelegen House by RETURN Africa
Gardens, Cape Town
From R 2,800a night
Babylonstoren
Klapmuts, Simondium
Price on request
The Cape Winelands
Next stop
Stellenbosch and Franschhoek vineyards, an hour up the N1
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 Cederberg Wilderness Area, Rocherpan Nature Reserve and Agulhas 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cederberg Wilderness Area | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Here | Here | Here | Here | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing |
| Rocherpan | 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 Western Cape?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Bat-eared Fox at stays in or beside Cederberg Wilderness Area, Rocherpan Nature Reserve, Agulhas National Park, Bontebok National Park, Karoo National Park and West Coast 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. 18 places to stay on Spekboom in Western 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. Cederberg Wilderness Area: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; Rocherpan Nature Reserve: Winter and spring for birds and flowers, Jun-Oct; Agulhas National Park: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; Bontebok National Park: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct. 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.