Do you love animals with long ears? If so, you’ll love this post! We’ve put together a list of 13 animals that have long ears. From the adorable floppy ears of a puppy to the pointy ears of a fox, these animals are sure to make your heart melt.
Big ears for animals make them cute and funny. I won’t say the same for human beings though. The animals listed below hit the jackpot with their ears. Their ear-to-body ratio is larger than what is considered. Their ears are larger and bigger than you might think.
While the ears make them look cute(except the last one), they serve a purpose. Either to aid in cooling, warding off pests, or for protection purposes – to listen to sounds made by prey. Let’s dive right in…
So, without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the cutest animals on Earth with long ears!
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Contents
13 Awesome Animals With Stunningly Long Ears
From big cats to tiny rodents, there are a surprising number of animals with long ears. Here are 13 of the most notable examples:
1. Fennec Fox
The fennec fox is a small, desert-dwelling fox that is known for its large ears. These furry friends can be found in North Africa and the Middle East, and they are the smallest species of fox in the world. With their big ears, fennec foxes are able to dissipate heat quickly, making them well-suited for life in the desert.
In addition to their large ears, fennec foxes also have excellent hearing. They can hear prey that is up to two kilometers away!
2. African Bush Elephant
The African bush elephant is the largest land mammal on the planet and it has the biggest ears of any living animal. These ears can measure up to 48 inches (122 cm) in length!
Weighing in at around two hundred sixty to two thousand pounds and standing up to six and a half feet tall at the shoulder, these massive creatures can be intimidating.
But despite their size, they are gentle giants, often spending their days quietly grazing or bathing in mud holes. They are also incredibly social animals, forming close-knit family groups that can travel for miles across the savanna.
3. Long-eared Jerboa
In proportion to its size, this curious animal has the largest ears of all, making up no less than two-thirds of its length. Its scientific name is Euchoreutes naso and it is a super-small nocturnal rodent. Its habitat is in the Taklamkan and Gobi deserts (China and Mongolia respectively).
Long-eared jerboas use their big ears to listen for prey and to stay cool in the hot desert climate.
They may be small, but these rodents are fierce predators. They can kill prey that is twice their size! Long-eared jerboas are also very agile: they can jump up to six feet (1.8 meters) in the air!
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4. Spotted Bat
The spotted bat, also known as the little brown myotis, is a small North American bat. It is one of the most common bats in the United States and can be found in many different habitats. The spotted bat has distinctive brown fur with white spots.
The primary purpose of the spotted bat’s long ears is to help it detect prey by amplifying sound waves. The ears are also important for regulating body temperature and helping the bat navigate in low-light conditions.
Spotted bats typically eat insects, but they have also been known to consume small mammals and amphibians. Due to their wide range and large population, the spotted bat is not considered to be a threatened species.
5. Caracal
The caracal is a wild cat that is known for its big, floppy ears. These animals are found in Africa and the Middle East, and they are one of the smallest species of the wild cats.
Caracals use their big ears to listen for prey and to stay cool in the hot desert climate. They may be small, but these predators are fierce, able to kill prey that is twice their size!
Caracals are one of the few felines that can retract their claws completely into their paws. This helps them to avoid wear and tear on their claws when they aren’t hunting or fighting. The caracal’s long ears play an important role in its hunting strategy.
6. Basset Hound
The basset hound is a breed of dog that is known for its long ears, droopy eyes, and sad-looking face. These animals are bred for hunting and tracking, and their large ears aid in detecting prey even when it is hidden behind cover.
Basset hounds are also known for their friendly personalities and short stature. They make great family pets and are often used as therapy dogs. Unfortunately, bassets are prone to health problems such as hip dysplasia and ear infections.
Basset hounds are calm dogs, but they still need daily exercise, which means that you should provide them with daily walks of at least 1 hour duration.
7. Oriental Shorthair
The oriental shorthair is a breed of domestic cat that originated in Thailand. They are a medium-sized cat with short hair, and they exist in a variety of colors and patterns. What makes them unique is their long, pointy ears, which give them an exotic look.
Oriental shorthairs make great pets because they are playful and loving, and they get along well with children and other animals. If you’re looking for a feline friend who’s sure to turn heads, then the oriental shorthair is the perfect choice!
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8. Donkey
Donkeys are one of the oldest domesticated animals in the world. They have been used for centuries for transportation, work, and breeding. Donkeys are also known for their big ears.
Their large ears help them stay cool in hot weather, as they act as a natural air conditioner, allowing the donkey to release excess heat from its body.
Donkeys’ long ears also help them to hear predators or other danger noises from far away. This allows them to stay safe while grazing or wandering around in open areas.
9. Mule Deer
Mule deer are one of the most commonly sighted animals in North America. They are easily recognizable by their large ears, which can measure up to 22 inches long.
Mule deer are herbivores and primarily eat grasses, leaves, and shoots, and they live in a variety of habitats, including forests, deserts, and scrublands.
This animal breeds during late fall or early winter, and females give birth to fawns two months later. The mule deer is named for its large ears, which help it to stay cool in the summer heat and to hear predators sneaking up on it in the dark.
10. Antelope Jackrabbit
The Antelope jackrabbit (Lepus alleni) is a large rabbit that is found in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It gets its name from its antelope-like coloring, and its big ears.
It has extremely large ears that represent approximately one third of its total body length. These ears not only provide them with excellent hearing but also help regulate its body temperature.
The Antelope jackrabbit is the largest member of the jackrabbit family, and can weigh up to 8 pounds. It has reddish-brown fur and it feeds primarily on grasses, but will also eat flowers, shrubs, and small trees.
Read: 15 Animals Similar to Weasels
11. Greater Bilby
The greater bilby or rabbit-bandicoot (Macrotis lagotis) is a strange but amusing marsupial that only lives in Australia, specifically in arid areas, where they dig burrows. It has a pouch, the marsupium, to carry its baby, weighs around 6 pounds and has long ears. It was once a very common marsupial, but it is now threatened.
The greater bilby has the biggest ears of any Australian mammal. These ears are not only large, but they are also very sensitive, allowing the bilby to hear predators from far away.
12. Anglo-Nubian Goat
This graceful goat comes from England and is a dairy goat that can produce no less than 700 litres of milk per lactation. Its ears are wide and very long. Males can weigh up to 80 kilograms. Otherwise it is a fairly normal goat.
Anglo-Nubian goats are also raised for meat and fiber. They are also used as working animals in some areas. The ears of an Anglo-Nubian goat play an important role in regulating the animal’s body temperature during the English cold winter nights.
13. Aye-aye
The aye-aye is a strange and exotic creature found only in the rainforests of Madagascar. It is an endangered species and is classified as “vulnerable” by the IUCN. There are estimated to be fewer than 2,000 aye-ayes remaining in the wild.
The aye-aye is one of the most fascinating animals on Earth. It has large eyes that allow it to see well in the dark, and long ears that help it to hear predators coming from far away. Its most distinctive feature, however, are its unusual hands.
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Its hands are different from those of any other animal on Earth. They have huge claws that they use to tear open tree bark to get at the insects inside. It also has a long middle finger that it uses to extract insects from trees or holes in the ground.
So, there you have it: 13 animals with long ears! Whether they’re used for navigation or camouflage, there’s no denying that these creatures are certainly interesting to look at.
