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Desert jerboa - JACULUS JACULUS
Possibly Endangered
Class: Animals with Milk Glands (Mammalia)
The Name "Jerboa": "Jerboa" is from the Arabic word "yerbo," meaning "big thighs."
Location: North Africa, Arabia, central Asia.
Habitat: Terrestrial. Desert and steppe.
Description: Like the other members of this family, the overall appearance of the desert jerboa is like that of a kangaroo, mainly because of the very long hind legs. Its coat is cream or beige on the back, white underneath. The tail is long and has a tuft of white hairs at the tip, and it is used like a tiller or rudder when the it jumps. This animal can grow over sixteen inches long, but ten of those are its tail. It weighs only about two and a half ounces.
Behavior: This solitary nocturnal rodent starts moving about in search of food after sundown. It eats seeds, roots, and insects, from which it extracts the water required for its survival. It is agile and has highly developed senses of smell, sight, and hearing.
Reproduction: Gestation lasts about a month, after which the female usually gives birth to three young. There may be more than one litter a year. The young are independent after a few weeks. The courting behavior of the male is interesting: He puts himself in an upright position in front of the prospective mate, then lowers his face to the height of the mate, and finally, slaps her rhythmically with his front legs.
Go to the Rodents Page to learn more about all the gnawing animals.
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