Desert Dwellers: Fennec Fox Pups Step Into the Open in a Scene of Unspoiled Calm

Three tiny fennec fox cubs have captured the hearts of many online after a video showed them coming out of their desert home to eat together.

On Instagram, some people watching the clip likened the little foxes to lovable pets you might keep in a backyard, while others said they felt a strong urge to rub the animals' very large, very cute ears.

One at a time, the small fennec foxes make their way out of the den. They peer around cautiously, checking their surroundings.

As they appear to settle, their posture shifts. What started as hesitant crouching turns into a more relaxed seated position, and ears that were once laid back gradually rise.

After a short while, all three sit, taking in the scents of the air, the earth, and one another. They use their back legs to scratch their oversized ears while continuing to scan the area, as if uncertain about their next move.

Then, quite abruptly, one of them notices something just out of view. It scrambles up the side of a sand dune that borders the den and reappears a moment later with a small piece of meat in its jaws.

Before long, all three of the little fennec foxes are sharing a meal of meat together.

The Cubs Look Healthy and at Ease While Exploring the Desert Near Their Den

People on Instagram had plenty of reactions to the three fennec fox cubs in the video.

Some pointed out that although these little foxes are wild animals, they are so charming that they wished they could keep them as pets: “So, I don’t want to keep one. But… They do look so much like pets in their own environment… I’m just thinking that all those babies need me to give them some ear scratches.”

Others remarked that the tiny fennec foxes, with their large ears, seemed almost too cute to be real: “Hold on, stop. Hang on, stop! Did you seriously come out of there wearing those ears? Cuteness violation!”

These fennec fox cubs are certainly real, and they are certainly not pets, but they are undeniably adorable. If watching them go about their ordinary day doesn't brighten someone's mood, then we don't know what would!