Two rare bat-eared foxes have arrived at Chester Zoo's new Heart of Africa habitat.

The species is named after its distinctive oversized ears and is endemic to the open savannahs and arid grasslands of eastern and southern Africa.

In the wild, bat-eared foxes face increasing threats, largely due to habitat loss caused by agriculture, human encroachment and hunting.

The zoo's experts plan to eventually introduce one of sisters, Maasai and Malindi, to a male fox.

They will go on to play a vital role in the conservation breeding programme that is working to safeguard the species.

Their new housemates are a family of twelve Cape porcupines (Image via: Chester Zoo)

David White, Twilight Team Manager at Chester Zoo, said: "It's incredibly exciting to welcome bat-eared foxes back to Chester Zoo after a 30-year hiatus and they're a wonderful addition to our new Heart of Africa habitat.

"They're a truly unique and fascinating species with some amazing adaptations.

"Their enormous ears aren't just for show – they can detect prey with pinpoint accuracy; they're so sensitive that they can even hear termites chewing underground.

"Both Maasai and Malindi are settling in well so far, spending much of their time exploring their expansive home and getting to know their new housemates – a family of twelve Cape porcupines.

"These two species would often come across one another in the wild, so we've recreated this right here at Chester.

"In time, we hope to introduce one of the two sisters to a male fox, with the hope that we can contribute to the European conservation breeding programme - helping to ensure there's a healthy, genetically diverse back-up population in human care."