Long-eared jerboa (Euchoreutes naso)

Jerboa- a representative of the jerboa family (Dipodidae), mammals from the order of rodents. Externally, the jerboa is somewhat similar to a kangaroo: it has long hind three-toed legs, short legs, a long tail with a tassel (where, by the way, fat reserves are stored for the winter). Jerboas hop on their hind legs and can reach speeds of up to 50 km/h. So if you bring this rodent into your home, consider your apartment a little Australia.

Kinds

There are about 30 species of jerboas in nature. Let's focus only on the most common ones.

• Jerboa (Allactaga saltator)- an animal of ocher-brownish or yellowish-gray color, 13-17 cm long, tail - 19-22 cm. It lives in the steppes, deserts of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Mongolia and Northern China. Capable of climbing to a height of 2000 m or more. The animal feeds on seeds, stems and bulbs of plants, insects and their larvae. There are 2-3 cubs in a brood, but the number can reach up to 7. Life expectancy in nature rarely exceeds three years.

• Crested jerboa (Paradipus ctenodactylus) reaches a length of 16 cm. On the foot there is a long two-tier brush. Inhabits the sands of Kyzylkum and Eastern Karakum. It climbs bushes and jumps up to 3 m when running, but can run on its hind legs, stepping on them alternately.

• Long-eared jerboa (Euchoreutes naso)- an animal 8-9 cm long, with a tail up to 16 cm long and feet half the length of the body. The long-eared jerboa is reddish-gray on top and white on the sides and belly. Lives in the deserts of Xinjiang and Alashani, sometimes running into the yurts of nomads.

The jerboa is nocturnal

• Five-toed dwarf jerboa (Cardiocranius paradoxus) only 5-6 cm long (tail - 7-8 cm) has a disproportionately large head with large eyes and short tubular ears. The tail has deposits of fat in the subcutaneous tissue and is therefore thickened in the main and middle parts. The five-toed dwarf jerboa has grayish-buff fur mixed with dark gray tones and a white belly. These jerboas live in the desert with sparse vegetation. They are nocturnal and spend the day in burrows. In search of food, the animals climb the stems of grasses and branches of shrubs.

• Pygmy fat-tailed jerboa (Salpingotus crassicauda)- the smallest representatives of this family. The animal has a body length of only 4-5 cm, a tail - 9-10 cm. In one of the parts the tail is noticeably thick (these are subcutaneous fat deposits). The color of the animal is grayish-yellowish above, white below. The fat-tailed dwarf jerboa lives in the Zaisan depression, the southern Balkhash region, the Mongolian Altai and the Gobi. It feeds on cereal seeds, insects, and plant stems. In captivity, animals placed in the same cage start fights and sometimes even eat each other. They are nocturnal and during the day they climb into burrows. The animal clogs the entrance to the hole with a sand plug, for which it pushes the sand out with its head from the inside.

• Great jerboa (Allactaga major), or ground hare, is the largest species. The length of the body is 19-26 cm, the tail is up to 30 cm. Above this jerboa is colored brownish-gray or pale sandy-gray, the color is white below. The large jerboa lives in semi-deserts, steppes and forest-steppes Southeast Europe, southern Siberia and Kazakhstan. Animals live in meadow steppe and clayey semi-desert. The burrows have several emergency exits, clogged with earthen plugs. In addition to the permanent holes big jerboa there are simpler temporary burrows, as well as wintering burrows that go 2-2.5 meters deep into the soil. The large jerboa consumes plant seeds, bulbs and tubers as food, and also eats insects.

Lifestyle

Jerboas are jumping creatures, the length of their “take-off” can be 3 meters, that is, 20 times the length of their body. The animals are nocturnal, which, of course, is not very convenient for owners. If you love and are interested in your pet, then watch him late in the evening or watch his waking moments during the day.

If an animal gets out of the cage, it will immediately climb into some hard to reach place. It will be incredibly difficult to get it out of there, and if you leave it where it is hidden, it will chew the furniture and, possibly, significantly damage the wall. You should also remember that it is undesirable to catch an animal by the tail, since the animal may lose its decoration.

Housing

The animal's housing should be spacious. If the jerboa does not have enough space to jump and frolic, its paws will begin to hurt, which, unfortunately, can lead to the death of the animal.

For hairy jerboas and others small species the optimal housing would be a net-covered aquarium measuring 1.2 x 0.25 meters. One third of such an aquarium should be covered with a layer of turf. Animals adapted to life in sandy areas need sand where they can bathe and clean their fur. Before pouring sand into the aquarium, you need to sift it through a sieve. It is better to take river sand for these purposes.

An aquarium is the best housing for dwarf jerboas. A layer of turf with crushed stone is suitable as a flooring for these animals. Preference should be given to fine sand. It is also necessary to install a house made of cardboard or plywood in the aquarium.

In winter, don’t be surprised if your animal suddenly goes into hibernation. This happens more often on cold days or in a cool room. Therefore, if the utility companies do not heat you well, install a heater at home. With it, your animal will be more comfortable and there is a greater chance that he will not fall asleep for a while.

Feeding

The jerboa should be protected from “human” junk food and fed with vegetables, fruits and grain mixtures

In order for your pet to be happy and healthy, you need to feed him, adhering to a diet in wildlife. You should not give anything sweet, salty, peppery, or “human” food, that is, food prepared in modern ways. It is also undesirable to feed animals seafood, fruits and berries that are exotic for them (avocado, mango, raspberries, etc.).

An integral part of nature is the richest animal world of our planet. Our smaller brothers live in forests, steppes and deserts - various warm-blooded mammals. They need to be treated with care and protected from poachers. Only in this case will subsequent generations be able to contemplate the amazing fauna of the Earth.

Today we will talk about the jerboa - one of the funniest representatives of the largest order of mammals, “rodents”.

Habitat

Jerboa are a fairly large family of rodents; live on almost all continents. Namely in the steppes, semi-deserts and deserts of the Palaearctic. The latter refers to the following geographical regions:

• South of Europe.
• Asia north of the Himalayas, excluding
• up to the south of the Sahara.

This section succinctly answers the question of where the jerboa lives.

Appearance

The jerboa is a small rodent, reaching a length of 4 to 25 centimeters (depending on the species). It is distinguished by a small body and a long tail with a tassel. The funny thing is that the tail sometimes turns out to be longer than the body. The tassel serves as a steering wheel during long jumps - this is how the animal moves in a funny way.

The jerboa's muzzle is rounded downwards. Two large eyes and two long ears clearly stand out on it. The rodent's teeth are also interesting: their number varies from 16 to 18 depending on the species, but the sharpness of the fangs is inherent in all representatives of this family.

The color of the rodent is represented by a rich palette Brown- from copper to beige. Depends on the color of the soil natural area, which the animal chose for life. For example, the steppe jerboa will have light brown fur. The color will exactly match the color of the soil inherent in this strip. The jerboa in the desert will be more red to blend in with the endless sands stretching beyond the horizon.

Wise nature ordered this in order to protect the small animal from birds of prey.

Strengths and weaknesses of jerboas

A description of the jerboa is unthinkable without focusing on its interesting external features.

These rodents have developed the following organs:

• Hind legs. All 26 species of jerboas have very strong hind legs. It is with their help that the animal can jump so quickly and funny.
• The ears are large and long, clearly capturing all the sounds of the desert starry night.
• The mustache reaches to the toes in length. The most important of these small mammals.

It is the organs listed above that are vital for jerboas. Thanks to its ears and whiskers, the small animal senses an approaching predator, and strong paws help the rodent quickly escape into a cozy hole.

But vision and sense of smell are poorly developed in jerboas.

Similarity to a gourmet rat

A typical jerboa bears a striking resemblance to the funny animated character Ratatouille. He is just as fast, smart and spontaneous. Watching the life of this rodent is no less interesting than watching a fascinating cartoon.

A nimble and timid nocturnal inhabitant of deserts

This chapter will tell you about the life of jerboas in the wild. These amazing rodents lead a certain way of life, let’s look at its features:

• Separateness. Jerboas walk on their own, and come together only to reproduce.
• They are awake at night and rest in their burrows during the day.
• They don't like to take risks. The small and nimble animal will never get out of its home unless necessary, because it knows how dangerous and cruel the animal world is.
• They are excellent diggers. This skill is necessary for building underground dwellings. Very often, a rodent encounters compressed soil that cannot be raked with its front paws. In this case, sharp front fangs are used. In this example, you can again see how harmonious and correct Mother Nature is.

Underground dwellings

These little rodents are excellent builders and simply love to build cozy burrows. Jerboas build underground homes using sharp fangs and powerful front legs. They dig tunnels underground, sometimes reaching one and a half to two meters in depth. It is at this distance that the warm nests of jerboas are located. They are made from wool, fluff, moss and dry leaves. The jerboa is building a cozy abode for itself, the photo only confirms this.

The dwellings of jerboas are:

• Temporary.
• Permanent.

The latter, in turn, are divided into:

• Summer.
• Wintering.

The temporary homes of jerboas are simpler and located at shallow depths. The permanent hole, on the contrary, is deep. The passage to it can be up to six meters long; also, in addition to the main labyrinth, the rodent necessarily makes additional branches for exit.

Science also knows cases of jerboas living in abandoned gopher burrows.

Winter dormice and spring ladies' men

Characteristic of all jerboas hibernation. They flow into it with the onset of the first autumn cold weather (around October). Rodents rest in their burrows for about four months. True, sometimes they wake up for a short period of time. As a rule, this is associated with sudden warming.

Having slept thoroughly and absorbed the calories accumulated over the summer, the jerboa is ready to reproduce. Spring is the mating season for these rodents. It ends with a 25-day pregnancy of the female. On average, she gives birth to 3 to 6 cubs. For a month and a half, the little rodents enjoy their mother’s care. At the end of this period, they leave their native nests and go into adulthood.

in a desert?

These rodents are omnivores. But the greatest preference is given to food of plant origin. True delicacies are various seeds, shoots and roots of plants. The rodent will not refuse the nutritious seeds of watermelons, melons and cereals. If during the night the rodent was unable to find a life-giving oasis with green vegetation, it may well be content with insects and their larvae.

Another interesting fact is that the jerboa does not drink water at all. The juices of the plants that he eats are enough for him. This section answers the question of what the jerboa eats in the desert.

Predators and natural facts that destroy jerboas

It is clear that desert animals can pose a danger. Jerboa should be avoided:

• Reptiles.
• Large mammals.
• Birds of prey (eagles and hawks).

Also, the anthropogenic factor greatly influences the population of jerboas. With the development of new natural territories by humans (for example, the construction of high-rise buildings), the habitat of rodents is also decreasing.

This once again suggests that a person is obliged to take into account the surrounding animal world.

Types of jerboas

Lizards, snakes, steppe wolves and tropical insects are typical desert animals. The jerboa is also a resident of these places.

Scientists count 26 different species of these mammals (read on for where the jerboa lives). On the territory of our country, these rodents live in the steppes and semi-deserts of southern Siberia. Their habitat covers the Altai Territory, Transbaikalia and the southern regions of the Republic of Tuva.

We will look at the most interesting representatives of the jerboa family, including species living in Russia. We will also tell you what the jerboa eats in the desert in more detail.

Long-eared jerboa

Inhabitant of the northern regions of China - Xinjiang and Alanashi. Sometimes found in southern Siberia. It is clear that jerboas have no problems crossing the border.

It reaches a length of 9 centimeters and is distinguished by very long ears and antennae. The latter often reach the ground. The tail of this jerboa is longer than the body, and the brush at the end has a rounded shape. The color of the animal's fur is gray with a reddish tint. The sides and belly are white, and the tuft on the tail is black.
You can meet such a funny jerboa while traveling around the amazing Altai region. Only exclusively at night.

Five-toed pygmy jerboa

Until recently, it was considered exclusively an inhabitant of the Gobi Desert. But in 1961, a group of Soviet biologists led by Danila Berman discovered this species in the south of the Republic of Tuva.

The jerboa is very small: its length reaches from 5 to 6 cm. The tail is larger in size than the body and is 8 cm. The eyes of the dwarf jerboa are typically large, and the ears, on the contrary, are small. The hind legs have five toes and are very well developed.

Five-toed pygmy jerboas are nocturnal. Minks are built in the spring at shallow depths. Sometimes they can borrow a home from their fellow Siberian jerboa.

What does a jerboa eat in the desert? A favorite delicacy is feather grass seeds. In the absence of these, it is content with insects.

Great jerboa (ground hare)

The largest representative of this family of rodents. It can reach up to 26 centimeters in length. The animal is distinguished by a long tail with a cute tassel, shaped like an elongated drop. The color of the ground hare is light brown, the shade of the skin varies depending on the habitat of the rodent.

Recognized as the northernmost jerboa in terms of habitat. Most often it can be found in the steppes of Kazakhstan and southern Siberia; a little less often - along the southern tributaries of the Kama and Oka. Even residents of Crimea sometimes notice a hare that has wandered into the territory of some remote farm to eat delicious seeds of millet or rye.

The ground hare is a graceful and beautiful jerboa. The photo speaks for itself.

Jerboa jumper

This rodent is slightly smaller in size than the earthen hare. Its length reaches from 19 to 22 centimeters. The jumper's fur is either buffy-brown or yellowish-gray. It feeds on seeds, green parts and bulbs of plants, as well as insects.

Habitat: steppes and sandy deserts Central Asia(South-Eastern Altai and Northern Uzbekistan). It often lives in the mountains at an altitude of up to two kilometers above sea level. Sometimes it is called the steppe jerboa.

Emuranchik

Oddly enough, this glorious animal is also a jerboa. The animal is very small - it grows up to 12 centimeters. The tail, as always, exceeds the length of the body and reaches 16 centimeters.

It differs from all other types of jerboas in that it lives in clayey steppes and gravelly deserts. However, it is sometimes found on sandy soils.

This rare view distributed throughout Russia. It lives in the Dnieper region, in the south of the Volga region and near Also, some animals of this species inhabit the steppes of Kazakhstan.

Pet or nocturnal desert dweller?

Of course, the jerboa can be kept as a pet.

But will a true desert dweller be happy in a locked cage? Nature has endowed the jerboa with powerful hind legs so that it can jump and run in the wild, hunt for insect larvae and find nutritious plant stems (the description of the jerboa is presented above). Locked up, he will not be able to fulfill his natural needs. Therefore the answer is obvious - right place The jerboa's residence is definitely wildlife.

• It moves exclusively on its two hind legs.
• Fleeing from a predator, it reaches speeds of up to 40 km/h.
• A real neat guy, no match for some erect walkers! Per night amazing animal takes care of its fur 20 to 30 times.
• Some types of jerboas are so tiny that they can easily fit into a tablespoon.
• During the day, the rodent independently regulates its body temperature. Sometimes the fluctuations are as much as 15 degrees! This is due to the very large difference between day and night temperatures in the desert. For example, in the Negev (a desert in the Middle East) it can be + 30 during the day, but only + 9 at night. That is why desert animals are perfectly adapted to extreme changes in pressure and temperature.
• Excess fat accumulates in the animal's tail. It is by this that one can judge the health status of a particular jerboa.

The world of jerboas is interesting and multifaceted. We have only looked at a small part interesting features these funny little animals. Nature has generously awarded the jerboas with the necessary skills that help them survive in a cruel, but surprisingly interesting

Jerboas belong to the order of rodents. These are quite small animals that inhabit desert and semi-desert areas. There are about 26 species of jerboas. The most famous species: sandy, desert or African jerboa, five-toed dwarf jerboa, great jerboa or ground hare, marsupial jerboa, fat-tailed jerboa, hairy-footed jerboa, long-eared jerboa, jumping jerboa. All these species live in different parts peace. Some animals love hotter climates, others can adapt to living in the Siberian steppes.

The largest representative of its genus is the earthen hare. The body length of a large jerboa can reach up to 30 cm, and the weight of the animal is up to 300 grams. The color of the jerboa is brownish-gray, brownish-ochre in the flesh to pale sand. The tail, like most representatives of its genus, has a tassel. It lives in Kazakhstan, Western Siberia, Eastern Europe. It is also found at the foot of the Tien Shan Mountains, the foothills of the Caucasus, along the northern coast of the Black Sea and the northern Caspian Sea.

Desert (sand or African) jerboa

One of the most common species, the sand or desert jerboa, lives in the central part of Uzbekistan, the southern part of Iran, Western Pakistan, Eastern and Southern Iran, and throughout the territory of Turkmenistan. In addition to these territories, the desert jerboa lives in Morocco, Nigeria, Somalia, Egypt, Sudan, Iran, Mauritania, Arabia and North Africa, which is why the species is also called the African jerboa.

Five-toed pygmy jerboa

The five-toed pygmy jerboa is found in Kazakhstan, Northern China, Southern and Central Mongolia. Most often you can see the dwarf jerboa in the valleys of the Gobi lakes and in the eastern part of the Gobi desert.

Hairy jerboa

The hairy jerboa is distributed in semi-deserts and deserts in southeastern Europe, as well as Central and Central Asia. Besides these parts globe he lives in the south of the Altai region, the north of Iran and the south of Kyrgyzstan.

Marsupial jerboa

The marsupial jerboa is the only species of its kind. The animal lives in only one part of the world - Australia. On this moment The population of marsupial jerboas has declined greatly.

Long-eared jerboa

The long-eared jerboa lives in Mongolia and China in the Gobi Desert regions. There is little information about this animal, since the species is endangered and is active only at night.

Fat-tailed jerboa

The fat-tailed jerboa inhabits deserts and semi-deserts of Asia: China, Mongolia and eastern Kazakhstan, Afghanistan.

The report about the jerboa will tell you where the jerboas live, what the jerboas eat and what their features are.

Message about the jerboa

The jerboa is a small rodent that lives in desert, semi-desert and steppe regions of the world. This animal looks like a mouse with thin and long legs. He has a thick, short, small head. There are long sensitive antennae on the nose. At the end of the long tail there is a fluffy tassel.

The jerboa moves by jumping, using its hind limbs. Jerboas are unique animals; they can jump up to 3 meters. The jerboa uses its tail as a rudder. When jumping, the front legs of the jerboa are crossed over the chest and pressed to the chin. The rodent's body is covered with soft, thick fur of a yellowish-brown or gray hue.

Jerboas live in shallow but highly branched burrows with exits. Jerboas are nocturnal animals. In winter, jerboas go into shallow hibernation. Exist different kinds jerboas. The largest of them is the earthen hare. Its body reaches a length of up to 30 cm. The smallest, smallest species is dwarf. Its body length is only 5 cm.

What do jerboas eat? They eat cereal seeds, stems, grass, leaves different plants. They love to feast on the roots, tubers, and bulbs of steppe plants, and do not refuse insects.

In the spring, babies are born - up to 8 pieces. Females feed newborns breast milk. Then the cubs are gradually transferred to adult food.

There are only 5 types of jerboas: emuran, ground hare, five-legged, long-eared and jumper jerboa. So who is he? jumper jerboa? Where does he live? Today we will talk about the last of the types of jerboas, and we will start with its characteristics.

Description of the jumping jerboa

Jerboa jumper- a large animal, growing 19-22 cm in length. Its muzzle is elongated, but flattened, its limbs are five-fingered, and its ears are large. The animal is different with its fur coat, gray-yellowish or brown color. The jumper's tail is well developed, its main part is black and the tip is white. How is it different from other species? At the jumping jerboa the head is narrower, the stigma is elongated, and in some species the fingers are dressed in peculiar combs that form sparse bristles. By the way, if you look closely, you can find light ripples on the back. In wild nature, jerboa lives no more than three years.

WHERE DOES THE JERBOAN JERBAE LIVE AND WHAT DOES IT EAT?

What does the jumping jerboa eat in nature?

Jerboas- creatures are omnivores, but still give preference plant foods. Eating various insects and their larvae, seeds, green parts of plants and their bulbs, roots and shoots of plants. They love to eat cereals, watermelon and melon seeds. And they don’t drink water at all! The rodent has enough juice from the plants it eats.

Where does the jumping jerboa live?

Jerboa-jumper lives in the steppes and deserts. Habitat– dry or clayey steppes, gravelly deserts, mountain steppes, lake basins, in the southeast of Transbaikalia in cereal steppes. But you can meet him near the river, near a pine forest, in the steppes with tyrsa, in the semi-desert.

The rodent is nocturnal, like all jerboas. Its activity occurs at night until dawn, it jumps in search of food and adventure. And since he is the fastest among his brothers (that’s why he got his name “jumper”), he is not very afraid of predators. At the jerboa's There is always a hole in which he lives permanently, and a temporary one, for example, running away from predators, or a hole for the winter. A permanent burrow is dug up to 5 meters with a large number of entrances and exits, while temporary ones are 35-65 cm.

Jerboas begin to mate in April and finish in July. The female brings from one to three babies in a litter. In autumn, animals gain weight before cold winter, so the tail increases noticeably. And this species goes into hibernation later than its fellows, they roam until 15 degrees below zero or more, and wake up from hibernation in March-April naturally.

VIDEO: ABOUT JERBAE NUTRITION

IN THIS VIDEO YOU CAN LEARN HOW TO PROPERLY FEED JERBOAS