Small foxes with big ears debut at Prospect Park Zoo

NEW YORK - Two fennec foxes have made their public debut at the Prospect Park Zoo in Brooklyn.

The pair of male foxes used to call the Bronx Zoo home, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society.

It is the world's smallest species of fox, according to the WCS. Adult fennec foxes weigh less than four pounds and are 9 to 16 inches long.

"Their characteristically large ears can be up to six inches long," the WCS said in a news release. "In addition to aiding in their ability to hear prey even when it is underground, they use their ears to help regulate body temperature by dispersing heat."

Fennec foxes, which are nocturnal, are native to the deserts of northern Africa.

The new fennec fox exhibit is located in the Hall of Animals.