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 transportation: exclusively on 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.
His long ears allow you 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.
The large jerboa is a prominent 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 its 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.
Attention, TODAY only!
The unusual animals, jerboas, living in steppe, desert and semi-desert regions, are very similar to mice in pictures and photos. However, this rodent is distinguished by large ears and short forelimbs. This funny representative of the largest order of mammals lives on almost all continents of the world and has 26 different species.
Description, photos and varieties of the rodent jerboa
Depending on the species, the jerboa may have body length from 5 to 30 cm. The animal has a dense and short head, thin legs and a long tail. In addition, jerboas differ:
- short body;
- flattened muzzle;
- rounded unusually long ears;
- big eyes;
- almost invisible neck;
- long, strong hind legs with elongated feet;
- black and white tassel at the end of the tail;
- thick and soft yellow-gray fur.
Jerboas move by jumping, folding their short front legs on their chest. This movement is very similar to the jumping of a kangaroo. The rodent chooses the direction with the help of its tail, which plays the role of a rudder.
Animals have 16 or 18 teeth. In addition to the fact that they chew food with their incisors, they also use them to loosen the soil. Then the loosened soil is dug with the limbs.
Types of jerboas with photos
On the territory of Russia, these rodents inhabit semi-deserts and steppes of southern Siberia. The most interesting representatives of the jerboa family are the following species:
Lifestyle
Large eyes and the size of the ears indicate that jerboas are nocturnal inhabitants. They leave their burrows about half an hour after sunset, and search for food all night. To do this, they can walk up to five kilometers. Before dawn, the animal returns to its hole, where it sleeps all day.
At the jerboas There are four types of minks:
- The permanent burrow is equipped with several entrances. The main entrance has a slope, and the rest approach almost to the surface and are spare. The main passage leads to the living chamber, in which the animal, using crushed blades of grass, makes a “bed” for itself.
- Temporary daytime burrows. The length of such dwellings is from 20 to 50 cm. To maintain humidity and coolness in them, the entrance is sealed with a sand or earthen plug.
- Rescue holes. These are simple passages in which the animals hide. Their depth is from 10 to 20 cm.
- Wintering burrows. Such dwellings have a wintering chamber and underground storage rooms at a depth of 1.5-2.5 meters.
IN winter time years many types of jerboas hibernate. This happens around October and lasts for four months. If warming suddenly occurs in winter, the animals may wake up for a short time.
Eating jerboas
Rodents are omnivores, but they prefer plant foods. Their diet consists mainly of seeds, roots and shoots of various plants. They also love the seeds of cereals, melons and watermelons. If an animal does not find any plant food overnight in the desert, it can catch and happily eat any insect or its larvae. Jerboas do not drink water at all. They get enough juice from plants they eat.
Lifespan and reproduction
As soon as the jerboas emerge from hibernation, they breeding season begins. This period usually begins in mid-March - early April and continues until autumn. There are from 1 to 3 litters per year.
The female's pregnancy lasts about 25 days. From 1 to 8 cubs can be born at one time. The babies live with their parents for two months, after which they begin an independent life. Young rodents reach sexual maturity by the age of two.
IN wildlife jerboas live a little more than three years. Their lifespan here depends on natural enemies. Rodents should be afraid of:
- birds of prey;
- large mammals;
- reptiles.
If an animal lives in captivity, its lifespan increases significantly.
Jerboas at home
If you decide to have such an animal, then you need to create conditions in your house that are close to natural. It is recommended to keep jerboas in large cages or enclosures. It must be remembered that animals capable of jumping to great heights. Rodents show aggression towards each other, so it is impossible to keep several individuals in one cage.
You need to pour sand at the bottom of the house or cover it with turf. The pet's bedding should be soft. Another advantage of turf is that you can dig holes in it. This process is very important for desert inhabitants. In addition, sand must be freely available, since rodents need sand baths.
The cage must be equipped with:
- drinking bowl;
- a bowl for food;
- material for the nesting house in the form of dry grass, roots, sticks.
Since jerboas are very clean, they will clean their coats on their own and will set aside a certain place for the toilet. Therefore, it is necessary to clean their cage regularly.
Rodents have a hard time getting used to humans. In nocturnal animals, contact with people causes stress, as a result of which the animal life schedule is disrupted. And even if after some time the pet stops being afraid of its owner and even goes into his arms, it will still remain a wild animal. That is why it is not recommended to release the jerboa from its cage, since at the first opportunity it will escape.
It is quite difficult to see a jerboa in nature. They are very shy and are even listed in the Red Book, since they are one of the rarest animals on our planet. Pictures and photos of various types of jerboas can be seen in our photo gallery.
Animal jerboa
Guess the riddle: long legs, huge ears and a mustache down to the heels - who is this? You'll never guess, although the name of this animal is familiar to almost everyone. So, let’s reveal the secret: it has all the listed characteristics... jerboa!
Bounce! One more jump!
The jerboa itself is a rodent. As befits rodents, it is quite small - from 4 to 25 centimeters long, no more. But this is where its resemblance to ordinary voles and domestic rats ends, and then there is the strict jerboa individuality.
First of all, these are the legs. The jerboa's hind legs are long and unusually powerful, of course, in proportion to its body. On such legs you can gallop for many kilometers, which is what jerboas often do - the front legs do not take part in the movement.
Some individuals are able to jump to a height of up to three meters, and jump up to five meters in length. Can you imagine what kind of view of the area you can get from a three-meter height? As for distances, the jerboa, if properly frightened, can reach speeds of up to 40 kilometers per hour from a standstill and disappear beyond the horizon within a short time.
In just one night, this small, funny and weak-looking creature is capable of moving away from its hole up to six kilometers in search of food, and returning safely by morning.
Four-toed jerboa (Allactaga tetradactyla)
Domostroy
But you are unlikely to ever see a running (that is, jumping) jerboa. These animals are very cunning and prudent. For example, what do you think: how many “houses” does one ordinary jerboa have? Three!
These are burrows - rescue, temporary and permanent. A rescue room (there may be several of them) is something like a gap in the ground 10-20 centimeters deep, where you can hide in case of immediate danger.
The temporary hole is used exclusively for daytime sleep; it is already deeper (up to half a meter). But the most important thing is a permanent hole, which is a real labyrinth with dead ends, false corridors and a bunch of emergency exits. The length of the main corridor alone, leading to the main labyrinth, can be up to six meters.
Egyptian jerboa (Jaculus jaculus)
Surely many will have a question: if the presence of rescue and permanent holes is quite understandable and explainable, then the need for a temporary hole, usually located not far from the others, is very controversial.
In fact, the jerboa also does not have an adequate answer to this question. Perhaps the fact is that the animal likes to sleep, especially during the day, and sometimes “passes out” almost out of the blue. He doesn’t really trust the rescue hole, and if he climbs too far into the permanent one, there’s a chance he’ll fall asleep halfway.
Perhaps the temporary hole exists precisely for emergency sleep. By the way, when the jerboa is sleeping, you can do whatever you want with it - it is almost impossible to wake it up. Even if you take the animal in your arms, if it wakes up, it will not be right away.
Most varieties of jerboas live in hot regions of the planet, in deserts and semi-deserts. Those who chose colder areas for themselves fall into hibernation. These individuals have another burrow - a winter one.
There they spend the entire winter and part of the spring, sometimes until mid-April. By the way, the further north the jerboas live, the darker the fur on their backs.
Jerboas obtain food for themselves mainly at night. They eat everything they can get their hands on: roots, seeds and bulbs of plants, insects and worms, and some species even small birds.
The great jerboa (Allactaga major) is the largest among the jerboas. It has a relatively short body (18.7-26 cm long); the tail is 1.3 times longer than the body (25-30.5 cm).
Ears, whiskers and tail
But let's return to the individual data of the animal. The next unique feature of the jerboa is its disproportionately huge ears. The purpose of such ears is quite clear. They are useful for hunting and for protection from predators.
Moreover, the jerboa has a lot of enemies, practically everyone who is larger in size and would not mind eating fresh meat. In addition, the animal’s vision and sense of smell are very poorly developed, so good hearing, which is provided by huge ears, is a necessary compensation.
By the way, the long-eared jerboa (that’s his name, and he lives in the Mongolian steppes) has ears five centimeters long with a body length of only nine centimeters. So, if suddenly the conversation turns to records, then “by ears” he is ahead of everyone, and he rightfully holds the title of the longest-eared animal on the planet.
Long-eared jerboa (Euchoreutes naso)
From a special angle, the long-eared jerboa looks like a fictional animal
As for the whiskers, or, more precisely, vibrissae, they serve the jerboa in the same way as they serve cats. Vibrissae are capable of detecting the slightest changes in the environment, such as, for example, changes in atmospheric pressure or changes in the directions of air flows.
Thanks to the vibrissae, the jerboa is able to bypass any obstacles in complete darkness and determine in advance whether it will get stuck in a hole that, say, it has decided to explore.
Like other rodents, the jerboa has a tail. But if the purpose of a rat’s tail is still not really clear, then the jerboa’s tail brings clear benefits to its owner. There is a tassel at the end of the tail. When a jerboa has to escape from a predator, it gallops like a hare, weaving in different directions.
Moreover, if the animal turns sharply to the right, then with its tail it makes a signal to the left. The predator, focusing on the brush rushing ahead of it, automatically turns left, and when it realizes that it has been duped, the jerboa already comes to its senses, sitting deep underground in one of its holes.
Fat-tailed jerboa (Salpingotus crassicauda). During the winter it goes into hibernation, before which it accumulates a reserve of fat in the tail.
Apartment life
Jerboas can be kept at home, although it is difficult. Moreover, of all the species, only three are suitable as pets. These are the large, bushy-legged and small jerboas. But there are difficulties with them too.
Firstly, as already mentioned, these are nocturnal animals, so you will have to get used to the animal’s midnight travels around the apartment. Translate jerboa to day mode impossible - his body is so precisely tuned to the cycle of day and night that any intervention will only lead to the death of the animal.
There are also difficulties with feeding. The animal basically does not eat human food, but it also cannot be kept on seeds alone. The jerboa also needs vegetables: potatoes, beets, carrots and fruits - apples and pears, and in winter thin branches of willow, maple and aspen should be added to its diet.
Asia Minor mountain jerboa (Allactaga euphratica)
Of course, live insects should be present on the animal’s table all year round. His enclosure should be large and spacious, but his walks around the house need to be monitored very carefully.
If the jerboa decides to settle outside the enclosure or create a spare hole out of habit, your furniture and even walls can be seriously damaged if they are not made of the most durable materials.
Despite their small size, these animals have strong paws and unyielding patience, especially when it comes to their favorite pastime - building holes.
Konstantin FEDOROV
Our planet is amazing and rich in diversity of incredible representatives of living things! Carnivorous, herbivorous, poisonous and harmless - they are our brothers. The task of man is to treat the animal world with care, to know and respect its laws. After all, some species are so unique that they have inhabited the Earth since ancient times! Today we will talk about just such an animal. His name is jerboa. It has been known since the Oligocene period (33.9 - 23.03 million years ago). Scientists suggest that the ancestors of modern jerboas emerged in Asia about eight million years ago. From there they spread to North Africa and Europe. But in Europe the jerboa has become completely extinct.
Description of the jerboa
Small, mouse-like mammals. They are representatives of the order of rodents. There are about 50 species in nature. The most famous include: African, five-toed, large jerboa, marsupial, long-eared, bushy-legged, fat-tailed, and also the jumping jerboa.
Appearance
Externally, jerboas resemble either a kangaroo or a mouse. The head is large relative to the body, with an almost indistinguishable neck. Round, slightly flattened muzzle with large dark eyes. Large eyes allow you to capture a greater flow of light information. Huge fan-shaped vibrissae. This is the main organ of touch in many animals. As a rule, they have long and rounded ears, which carry the function of heat transfer and reception of auditory information. The hair on the ears is sparse.
- Body length: from 4 to 26 cm.
- Tail length: from 6 to 28 cm.
- Weight: from 10 to 300 grams.
The body is short. The hind limbs are much longer than the front ones, which is necessary for active running. The animal uses short forelimbs with sharp, elongated claws for digging holes and manipulating food. The fur is thick and soft. Color ranges from sandy to brown, mostly monochromatic. There is a light color on the belly.
This is interesting! The jerboa's tail may contain a reserve of fat necessary to maintain the body during hibernation or during periods of lack of food.
The tail has a flat tassel at the end, which acts as a kind of rudder when moving. Individual characteristics The color and structure of the limbs depend on the species and habitat. For example, the color and size of the body as a whole or its individual parts change.
Lifestyle and behavior
Jerboa nocturnal beast. Wary to such an extent that after sunset it leaves its hole only an hour later. Searches for food all night, going up to 5 km away. And in the morning, exactly an hour before sunrise, they return to the shelter. Such reinsurance often saves lives. However, there are species that are active and search for food during the day, and at dusk they rush to their house underground.
One type of housing is summer. With separated rooms covered with grass. Often, practical animals make a “back door” in their underground apartments and, if threatened, escape through it.
In winter, the animal goes into hibernation, which lasts up to six months. A hibernation hole differs from a regular “living” hole. It is located much deeper, reaching 2.5 meters. Some species store food reserves for the winter, while others store them directly within themselves, in the form of fat.
This is interesting! Jerboas are real builders. These hardworking animals build more than one house for themselves. They have summer and winter holes, permanent and temporary, a hole for hibernation and holes for the birth of offspring.
Also, these incredible creatures can have houses for permanent and temporary stay. Permanent houses must have an entrance covered with earthen lump. This peculiar corridor is quite long deep into the interior.
Next, as a rule, a branch appears leading to the living room, in which the surface is covered with grass and there is a place for a “bed” in the form of a ball of wool, moss, feathers - all suitable materials collected on the surface. Several unfinished passages already lead from it to the surface. They are necessary in case of emergency evacuation.
Among the jerboas there are those who, instead of building their own house, “rent” it from the gophers. The jerboa contacts its relatives only during the mating season. You can call him a loner. This is one of the strategies that are used for survival by different representatives of the flora.
Some stay in a group and survive, having a developed system of communication and coherence among themselves. And some, on the contrary, prefer to develop individually, passing on the genes of the most adapted, fastest, invulnerable, cautious and intelligent to the next generation. And if the individual turns out to be clumsy, slow or inattentive, then it dies. This ensures the survival of the species.
How long do jerboas live?
However, diseases, the influence of natural conditions and predators shorten this time significantly. In captivity, lifespan increases significantly. The average life expectancy in the wild is no more than 3 years.
Range, habitats
What is worth envying other animals among jerboas is their prevalence in completely different living conditions. They live on almost all continents, where there are steppes, deserts and semi-deserts. These regions include North Africa to sub-Saharan Africa, southern Europe, and Asia north of the Himalayas.
However, jerboas can be found even in forest-steppes and mountainous areas. Some subspecies live even at an altitude of up to 2 thousand meters above sea level. In Russia you can find some representatives of the genus: the large jerboa, the small jerboa, the jumping jerboa, the common emur, the bushy jerboa and the five-fingered jerboa.
Jerboa diet
The daily food intake for a jerboa is 60 grams. Their diet includes seeds and roots of plants, which they obtain by digging holes.
They enjoy eating insect larvae. They love to feast on fruits, cereal grains, and vegetables. Jerboas practically do not drink water! All moisture comes from plants.
Important! The tail of a jerboa says a lot about the state of health and nutrition. If it is round, then the animal eats well and regularly. The tail is thin, with protruding vertebrae, indicating exhaustion.
Diet consists mainly of seeds and plant roots. Their jerboas dig out, leaving holes. Insects and their larvae are also eaten. The animals practically do not drink water. They get moisture from plants. During the night, in search of food, one rodent can travel up to 10 km along its food trails.
One animal requires 60 g of various feeds per day. This population has big influence on the soil and vegetation of deserts, semi-deserts and steppes, and also serves as food for local predators. At the same time, animals can spread dangerous infectious diseases, including the plague.
