Big jerboa- a bright representative of the genus of earthen hares. This creature, in the process of evolution and adaptation to its natural habitat, has developed its own unique style of movement. In some areas, the great jerboa is on the verge of extinction, as its habitat is constantly shrinking due to human activity. Steppe reserves are perhaps the only refuge for large populations of these creatures.
The large jerboa is a prominent representative of the genus of earthen hares
In addition to natural enemies, large jerboas have to constantly compete with other species of rodents for food supply. Given their hidden lifestyle, many people have no idea what a jerboa looks like or where they live. Despite the fact that in their natural environment these small animals constantly face seemingly insurmountable difficulties, in some regions their numbers are rapidly increasing.
This animal is the largest representative of the genus of earthen hares. A complete description of this species is now available. The body length of an adult is approximately 19-26 cm. Males are usually larger in size. The jerboa's tail, as a rule, is 1.3 times the length of the body and is about 25-30 cm. At its end there is usually a fluffy tassel. Such a tail is necessary for the animal to maintain body balance while running. In addition, fat accumulates in it, which later helps the animal survive the winter season. The body weight of these creatures does not exceed 300 g. The jerboa's muzzle is wide, but slightly elongated. It is crowned with a characteristic patch. The eyes of jerboas are set very high. They differ large sizes. The ears are quite long. They often reach 6 cm.
These creatures are distinguished by their keen hearing. Any irregular rustle causes the large steppe jerboa to run away, wanting to get into its hole. The external description of representatives of different sexes of these creatures is similar. This long-eared jerboa also has very large feet, which can reach approximately 45% of the body. The long-eared animal moves exclusively on hind legs. They can reach approximately 20 cm. Many other types of jerboas have a similar description of the structure, but at the same time they differ in even more modest sizes. This is no coincidence, since they all descended from the same ancestor. Since these creatures look very exotic, they have been successfully tamed. However, only the domestic jerboa has already lost the ability to live in the wild, and in addition, it is not a carrier of various dangerous diseases. Thus, only a tamed animal can be considered completely safe for humans.
Large, like the hairy jerboa, it is an excellent jumper. In one push, it can overcome more than 1.5 m. This is possible due to the structure of the lower legs. It is known that these animals can move not only through long jumps, but also by rearranging their paws. It is when running that the long tail helps them maintain balance when the animal needs to transfer its body weight from one paw to the other. However, the jerboa became famous as a jumper. On elongated feet, reaching a length of more than 10 cm, the lateral toes, that is, the 1st and 5th, are poorly developed. Having a similar paw structure, the long-eared jerboa can reach speeds of up to 50 km per hour, which allows it to avoid natural enemies. Only the hairy jerboa, which has a similar paw structure, can be a real competitor in speed to a large earthen hare. Among desert animals, the jerboa is perhaps the fastest rodent.
The forelimbs of this animal are greatly reduced, as they are used exclusively during feeding. In addition, the large jerboa uses them to dig holes. The animal has warm fur. Its color largely depends on where the jerboas live. Usually the top coat is brownish-gray with a rusty tint. The fur on the abdomen and chest is whitish-grayish in color. This makes it almost invisible on the ground and in withered foliage. The desert jerboa may have a uniformly yellowish-brown coat color. This also aids in camouflage.
Small jerboa (video)
Gallery: large jerboa (25 photos)
Distribution area of the great jerboa
This animal prefers to settle in forest-steppe and desert areas. Its largest population is represented in Eastern Europe, Kazakhstan and Western Siberia. Thanks to its good adaptability to its natural habitat, the large jerboa has spread much further than other members of the family. Its habitat extends up to 55° north latitude. For example, the hairy jerboa can no longer live here, since the climatic conditions here are too harsh for it.
The population of these animals is uneven in different areas. The range of large jerboas extends to the steppes near the Black Sea and extends all the way to the Altai Mountains. These animals try to avoid plowed lands, since the loose soil does not allow them to dig shelters. In some regions where jerboas were previously very common, they are now completely extinct. In some areas, for example, in Kazakhstan and on the left bank of Ukraine, this species is on the verge of extinction. In many regions, this variety of ground hare divides natural environment with other members of this family. For example, the woolly jerboa has a similar distribution area, but its large population is found in areas with relatively warm climates and mild winters.
African jerboas (video)
Lifestyle and reproduction of the large jerboa
It is now known that these animals are an extremely important link in the food chain. These little creatures have a lot of natural enemies. They are actively hunted:
- steppe snakes;
- some types of lizards;
- predator birds;
- wolves;
- foxes.
Thus, no predator will miss its chance to taste the earthen hare if such an opportunity presents itself. Snakes are a particular threat to warm-blooded animals. The large, like the hairy-footed jerboa, is nocturnal, so it often becomes prey for owls, which, thanks to their excellent night vision and hearing, can detect a rodent emerging from a hole to find food. Thanks to their developed senses, animals can avoid danger. If this creature notices signs of an approaching predator, it runs away. The jerboa is primarily a herbivore. His favorite foods are:
- wormwood leaves;
- bulbs of lily plants;
- seeds of melons and cereals.
In rare cases, these creatures can eat insects. In the spring, they cause damage to agricultural land, as they often hunt in sown fields, digging up buried seeds. After the appearance of lush green grass, the animal begins to feed on it. During the daytime, animals always hide in holes. There is usually only 1 nesting chamber, the entrance to which the jerboa blocks with an earthen embankment in order to protect itself from a sudden attack by a snake. The hole may have emergency exits in case unexpected guests appear.
The breeding season for animals begins in late spring. Representatives of different sexes, who usually lead a solitary lifestyle, begin to make screams to attract a partner. Pregnancy lasts about 25 days.
In late spring or early summer, the female gives birth to offspring, which can include from 2 to 8 cubs. She does the feeding on her own. In some regions, these creatures bear 2 offspring. The young remain with the female for 1.5 months, then go out to be raised on their own in order to stock up on enough fat to survive the winter.
These animals hibernate. For wintering, they dig deeper burrows, which can be about 2.5 m long.
In winter, jerboas are not eaten, so they do not stock up. The young reach adulthood at 2 years. The average lifespan of these creatures in nature is about 3 years. Until recently, there was a fishery for jerboas in various regions, including Kazakhstan, but it has been discontinued. One of the reasons for stopping the harvesting of skins is the fact that the animal is a natural carrier of tularemia, plague and some types of fevers.
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Jerboas are small animals belonging to the order of rodents and living in desert, semi-desert and steppe regions of the world.
All jerboas resemble mice in appearance, with the only difference being that jerboas have very short forelimbs, and these animals do not use them when moving. In addition, all jerboas have large ears, the size of which depends on the species of the animal.
The most famous are the desert or African jerboa, the great jerboa or ground hare and the long-eared jerboa.
A large jerboa or ground hare weighs only 300 grams, the length of its body does not exceed twenty centimeters, but the tail of a large jerboa is about thirty centimeters long and is decorated at the tip with a fluffy tassel. This animal lives mainly in the arid regions of Eurasia. The jerboa was nicknamed the earth hare because, despite its external resemblance to an ordinary hare, the jerboa lives in burrows and spends all its time there during the day and only appears on the surface after dark. The animals move by jumping, often reaching a speed of about 50 km/h.
Big jerboa in cold period falls into hibernation, for which it prepares in warm weather, accumulating a layer of fat and doubling its weight at this time. The animal is a hardworking digger, tirelessly digging holes even in the most dense soil.
The jerboa feeds mainly on plant foods, but does not refuse insects and their larvae. The big jerboa is a lover of solitude. An exception occurs during the mating season, when the animals are looking for a mate for a while.
The long-eared jerboa is a miniature inhabitant of the desert territories of Mongolia and China. This animal is considered endangered and is therefore strictly protected by law.
The body length of this miniature desert inhabitant is only ninety millimeters, the tail is 160 millimeters, and the animal’s ears are considered huge relative to its body and amount to 43 millimeters. Long-eared jerboas are active only at night, move by jumping, and feed mainly on insects.
The most common jerboa is the sand jerboa or African jerboa. It can be found in many desert regions of Asia and Africa.
Like all known jerboas, the desert jerboa is active at night and spends daytime in burrows.
All jerboas have many natural enemies. Therefore, they have adapted to escape from predators by jumping and hiding in holes, where they wait out the heat of the day and the winter cold.
And now, a photo collection of jerboas.
Photo. Family of jerboas.
Video - “Small jerboa. Shirvan national park. Azerbaijan."
The jerboa escapes from the chase. Unique video.
and another video:
And now, a “civilized” domestic jerboa.
Jerboas are kangaroo-like rodents that live in deserts, forest-steppe and steppe zones, and even in mountainous areas. They have a large head, a slightly flattened face, a long tail, and a body covered with fur. Introducing Interesting Facts about jerboas.
Appearance
Adults reach relatively small sizes. There are even miniature specimens, for example, the dwarf jerboa. Its weight is 12-15 grams, and its body length is 4-5 centimeters.
The color of the fur of these animals directly depends on their habitat. The closer to the north, the darker the back. But representatives of the southern fauna have more long ears.
Jerboas are very clean. While awake at night, they can brush their fur up to 20-30 times. They are also able to independently regulate their body temperature depending on the time of day.
These animals have the longest ears on the planet. For example, in a long-eared jerboa they reach 5 cm with a body length of 9 cm. Thanks to this, the hearing organ is highly sensitive and perceives even subtle sounds.
All representatives of the species have vibrissae on their body. On the animal's face they resemble thick whiskers; they can be very long - up to the middle of the body and even to the base of the tail. It is these “whiskers” that help animals feel the surface on which they move, which allows them to develop high speeds when moving.
Jumpers
These animals are natural jumpers. In nature, the jump height reaches 1.5 meters, and the length can be 20 times the size of the body. Such opportunities are provided by the presence of strong and long legs. The forelimbs are small in size and are intended mainly for eating. The record holder among these rodents is the earthen hare. He jumps up to three meters high. Most representatives can move on two hind limbs, like a person.
The animal flees from predators. In this case, the trajectory of movement resembles a zigzag. At the decisive moment, the jerboa turns its body to the left and its tail to the right. The deceived pursuer rushes after the tail, leaving the animal the opportunity to hide in a hole.
During one night, these animals are able to move distances of up to 4 kilometers. Moving in leaps, they can reach speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour. If they sense danger, they instantly run into their hole, making sounds reminiscent of a cat's squeak. Large and experienced individuals often try to protect themselves, taking advantage of their strong and long hind limbs. To protect themselves from enemies, they use another secret weapon - their tail. Most often it is long, thin, with a black and white tassel at the end.
Due to their high mobility, it is very difficult for them in captivity. If jerboas do not have enough space, they can become weak and sick from lack of exercise.
Jerboas have poorly developed sense of smell and vision. They are also very careful, leaving their burrow only when absolutely necessary.
Behavior
Fluffies store fat before going into hibernation. For example, the dwarf fat-tailed jerboa deposits its reserves at the base of its tail. If the vertebrae are clearly visible in the latter, then the jerboa is exhausted; if the organ is almost round, it is feeding well.
The jerboa menu is varied. He is an omnivore, preferring a vegetarian diet, namely roots, plant shoots and seeds. In their absence, it feeds on insects. It doesn't need fresh water. The need for liquid is replenished with plant sap.
At home big influence The lifespan of a jerboa is influenced by the conditions of its keeping. Unfavorable factors can significantly reduce the life span of an animal. If the owner takes care of his pet, then the latter will live as long as in nature, namely about 4 years. We should not forget that these are wild animals, they do not need to be kept at home, their place is in their natural environment.
They are nocturnal. When kept in captivity, it is impossible to change the wakefulness and sleep patterns of a pet using artificial lighting. This can lead to illness and even death.
IN wild conditions As a home, jerboas dig holes up to 6 meters long for themselves, so in captivity, having got out of the enclosure, they tend to hide behind furniture or dig a shelter in the wall. Fluffy is an excellent digger; he digs his home with his paws and even sometimes with his teeth.
There are burrows:
- temporary - necessary for escape from predators;
- permanent - for main residence;
- summer - shallow and simple;
- winter ones are insulated, differ in depth, with many corridors, entrances and exits.
Kids
These rodents prefer to live alone. The only exception is the breeding season. When autumn comes and the first cold weather arrives, the animal goes into hibernation for 4 months. After awakening in April - June, babies will be born.
They carry a pregnancy for only 25 days and give birth to 3-6 cubs, less often - 7-8 babies. The mother takes care of them for 1.5 months, after which she leaves the hole.
The kids have to survive on their own. They are hunted by birds, reptiles and some representatives of mammals, which is why a large number of young animals die. Full maturity of surviving individuals occurs at 2 years.
Jerboas are interesting animals, watching them is a pleasant experience. There are a large number of species, but only three can live at home with humans: small, large and hairy. When domesticating a wild animal, do not forget that it is not capable of completely getting used to a person and will always strive to break free. This is a freedom-loving animal; efforts must be made so that these rodents do not suffer in captivity, but roam the vast expanses of the endless steppes.
A small animal with huge ears, long hind limbs and a thin, long, very long tail with a black and white tassel - this is what a long-eared jerboa looks like. The animal looks comical in photographs, and at first glance it is very difficult to understand why it needs such excesses.
Long-eared jerboa: description
It is worth saying that this mysterious rodent was first filmed on video in 2007 by members of the London expedition led by Dr. Bailey (Zoological Society of London), although as a species it was studied in detail in the twentieth century. One of the goals of the expedition to the Gobi Desert was to study the long-eared jerboa in natural conditions.
Its body length is maximum 9 cm, tail - up to 17 cm, ears - up to 5 cm, foot length - up to 4.5 cm.
The head has an unusual shape for other jerboas - wedge-shaped, elongated, with a small snout (like a pig's),
The eyes are wide apart and small.
The wool is soft, thick, high.
Color: light red to buffy above, light to white below.
The tail has the same color along its entire length, the tassel at the end is white and black, not flat like other jerboas, but round.
The forelegs are small and have a long, curved claw on the inner toe.
The hind limbs are long and very narrow. Two lateral fingers are short, in the middle there are three long ones. All fingers have developed hard pads.
Method of locomotion: exclusively on the hind legs (like a kangaroo). Jumping up to three meters.
Habitat
The rodent was first described in 1890 from specimens from China. Mongolian representatives of this species were found much later, first in 1954, and already members of joint expeditions of the USSR and Mongolia in the seventies of the last century studied the Mongolian long-eared jerboa in more detail.
Where does this rodent live? His life takes place in the Gobi Desert, which consists of a chain of small deserts located in the territories of Mongolia and China.
The climate of this desert is sharply continental - in winter up to minus 55, in summer up to plus 58. The temperature difference is thus 113 degrees (for comparison: at the cold pole in Oymyakon it is less - 112 degrees).
Each of the deserts differs in the composition of the soil (from rocky plateaus to sand dunes), the presence of vegetation (from poor - rare saxaul bushes, to meadow steppes in places where groundwater reaches the surface).
The long-eared jerboa in the Gobi Desert was seen in sandy areas with low vegetation (saxaul).
According to the latest estimates by scientists who regularly conduct observations, it has been established that their numbers are extremely low - only 0.5 individuals per hectare of habitat.
Long-eared jerboa: what does it eat?
Unlike its main relatives, whose food is plants, the animal feeds on insects. He does not drink, receiving liquid along with the insect.
Its long ears allow it to hear any vibrations in the air at a distance of up to five meters. Vibrissae (long whiskers) sense insects in flight and under the soil layer. Long legs provide an exceptional opportunity to very quickly overtake an insect and catch it in a high (up to three meters) jump.
Proportions
When the long-eared jerboa runs (jumps) very quickly, it is pressed tightly to the body and the tips reach the sacrum.
The whiskers (vibrissae) growing on the muzzle are also long, and their tips (if bent) reach the base of the tail.
The front legs are small, their length is only one third of the hind legs.
The tail is almost two to two and a half times larger than the animal itself.
Lifestyle
The long-eared jerboa is nocturnal, this is due to fairly high daytime temperatures in the desert.
Due to the sharp drop in temperature in winter, these small creatures cannot heat themselves; to do this, they would need to expend a lot of energy and eat very well. They sleep in winter, having previously accumulated enough fat, including along the entire length of the tail.
The long-eared jerboa digs a so-called winter cave, very deep - up to two meters (so as not to freeze), with a long tunnel and a chamber in which it sleeps.
In the summer, the rodent digs three types of holes for itself: rescue, daytime and permanent. The depth of the rescue ones is only 20 centimeters, the daytime ones (for sleeping) are 50 centimeters. There is a special approach to permanent burrows: the central passage is inclined, leading to a chamber with reserves and the main one; the spare ones simply end in a dead end. The main chamber, located in the far part of the burrow, is lined by the jerboa with suitable remains of vegetation. In case of danger, the animal very quickly moves from the main chamber to the emergency passage, and the entrance to it is immediately blocked with a sand plug.
If the animal does not catch prey, it digs minks for itself.
Features that help you survive
The ears of the long-eared jerboa are not so long as they are huge (relative to the surface of the body) in area. For what? In the desert in summer, the air can warm up to 50 degrees, and the unusually large network of blood vessels in the ears helps the rodent cool down (in fact, the same way as the elephant).
It is interesting that the ears of a waking animal are always tense. They fold back when he moves quickly (for example, running away from danger). And during rest, the ears are soft, their blood supply is reduced.
The long-eared jerboa grows special bristly hairs on its hind legs, which help it stay on loose sandy soils. And the hard pads make it possible to move deftly along the rocky plateau.
The long tail is used when pushing off the ground during the first jump; in subsequent jumps it is straightened and serves as a kind of rudder when changing the direction of movement.
The short forelimbs are needed for digging holes and digging out insect larvae, and the wedge-shaped (pig) nose helps in these activities. The rodent uses its front paws to hold prey and make plugs for burrows.
Long-eared rodent and the environment
The jerboa adjusts the number of insects in its range. Although the little knowledge of the animals does not allow us to say with certainty the opposite.
According to the observations of English zoologists, the long-eared jerboa can carry tularemia and plague.
The microorganisms Helicobacter pylori were found in rodent feces, and this is a direct threat to human health.
Domestication of long-eared animals is not practiced due to the small number and difficulties in obtaining the animals themselves.
According to the records of Soviet researchers, rodents in captivity begin to bite.
Reproduction
After hibernation, females are ready to mate. One individual can bear and feed from two to six babies. Due to the small number and difficulty of tracking, it has not yet been established how many times the long-eared rodent produces offspring during its life. Some scientists draw a parallel with similar subspecies, arguing that the above-mentioned rodent lives from two to three years and bears offspring several times. According to others, the rodent reproduces only once in its life, and lives up to six years.
Females can theoretically fully feed eight babies, having the same number of nipples arranged in two rows.
The long-eared jerboa is listed in the Red Book of Mongolia. Recent and ongoing observations in the Gobi Desert confirm the small number of these rodents, but do not establish a trend toward complete extinction.
The rodent is cinematic, cute, and charming. Interest in it is constantly growing. The long-eared jerboa, the photo of which is posted in this article, is even compared to Mickey Mouse.
