Big jerboa what does it eat. Jerboas (photo): Frisky jumpers with long tails. What does the jumping jerboa eat in nature

Our planet is amazing and rich in variety of incredible representatives of life! Predatory, herbivorous, poisonous and harmless - they are our brothers. The task of man is to take care of the animal world, 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 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 stood out in Asia about eight million years ago. From there they spread to North Africa and Europe. But in Europe, the jerboa is completely extinct.

Description of the jerboa

Small, mouse-like mammals. They are members of the rodent order.. In nature, there are about 50 species. The most famous include: African, five-fingered, large jerboa, marsupial, eared, furry-legged, fat-tailed, and jumping jerboa.

Appearance

Outwardly, jerboas resemble either a kangaroo or a mouse. The head is large relative to the body, with an almost indistinguishable neck. Rounded, slightly flattened muzzle with large dark eyes. Large eyes allow you to capture a greater flow of light information. Huge fanned vibrissae. It is the main organ of touch in many animals. As a rule, 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: 6 to 28 cm.
• Weight: from 10 to 300 grams.

The body is short. The hind limbs are much longer than the front, which is necessary for active running. And short, with sharp elongated claws, the animal uses the forelimbs for digging holes, manipulating food. The wool is thick and soft. Color from sandy to brown, mostly monochromatic. There is a light color on the abdomen.

It is interesting! The tail of a jerboa may contain a supply of fat necessary to maintain the body during hibernation or during a period of lack of food.

Tail at the end with a flat tassel, which is a kind of steering wheel when moving. Individual features of color, structure of the limbs depend on the species and habitat. For example, the color changes, the size of the body as a whole or its individual parts.

Lifestyle and behavior

jerboa nocturnal animal. Cautious to such an extent that after sunset it leaves its mink only an hour later. All night looking for food, leaving for a distance of up to 5 km. And in the morning, exactly one 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 the house under the ground.

One type of dwelling is summer. With separated rooms, covered with grass. Often, practical animals make a “back door” in their underground apartments and, in case of a threat, escape through it.

In winter, the animal hibernates, which lasts up to six months. The hibernation burrow is different from the usual "living" burrow. It is located much deeper, reaching 2.5 meters. Some species prepare food supplies for the winter, while others store them directly in themselves, in the form of fat.

It is interesting! Jerboas are real builders. These hardworking little animals build more than one house for themselves. They have summer and winter burrows, permanent and temporary, a hibernation burrow and a birth burrow.

Also, these incredible creatures can have houses for permanent and temporary stay. Permanent houses necessarily have an entrance littered with an earthen clod. Inland, this peculiar corridor is quite long.

Further, as a rule, a branch appears, leading to a living room in which the surface is covered with grass and there is a place under the "bed" in the form of a ball of wool, moss, feathers - all suitable materials collected on the surface. Several unfinished moves already lead from it to the surface. They are needed in case of emergency evacuation.

Among the jerboas, there are those who, instead of building their own house, take it “for rent” from gophers. The jerboa comes into contact with relatives only during the mating season. You can call him a loner. This is one of the strategies that different representatives of the flora use to survive.

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, fast, invulnerable, cautious and intelligent to the next generation. And if the individual turned out to be clumsy, slow or inattentive, then it dies. Thus, the survival of the species is ensured.

How long do jerboas live

However, diseases, the influence of natural conditions and predators shorten this time by several times. In captivity, life expectancy increases significantly. The average life expectancy in the wild is no more than 3 years.

Range, habitats

What is the envy of other animals in jerboas is the 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 the south of the Sahara, southern Europe, 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 meet some representatives of the genus: a large jerboa, a small jerboa, a jumping jerboa, an ordinary jerboa, a furry-legged and five-toed jerboa.

jerboa diet

The daily food intake for a jerboa is 60 grams. The food includes seeds and roots of plants, which they extract by digging holes.

They enjoy eating insect larvae. They like to eat fruits, grains of cereals, vegetables. Jerboas practically do not drink water! All moisture comes from plants.

Important! The tail of the 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.

The diet consists mainly of seeds and roots of plants.. Their jerboas are dug up, leaving holes. Insects and their larvae are also eaten. Animals practically do not drink water. They get their moisture from plants. During the night, in search of food, one rodent can travel up to 10 km along its food paths.

One animal needs 60 g of various feeds per day. This population has a great influence on the soil and vegetation cover of deserts, semi-deserts and steppes, and also serves as food for local predators. At the same time, animals can be distributors of dangerous infectious diseases up to the plague.

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 cared for and protected from poachers. Only in this case, future generations will 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 is a fairly large family of rodents; live on almost all continents. Namely, in the steppes, semi-deserts and deserts of the Palearctic. The latter refers to the following geographic regions:

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

This section briefly 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). Differs in a small body and a long tail with a tassel. The funny thing is that the tail is sometimes longer than the body. The tassel also serves as a rudder for long jumps - this is how the animal moves in a funny way.

The muzzle of the jerboa is rounded downwards. Two large eyes and two long ears clearly stand out on it. The teeth of a rodent are also interesting: their number varies from 16 to 18 pieces, 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 the richest palette of brown - from copper to beige. It depends on the color of the soil of the natural zone that the animal has chosen for life. For example, the steppe jerboa will have a light brown coat. The color will exactly match the color of the soil inherent in this strip. The jerboa in the desert will be more red to merge with the endless sands that go beyond the horizon.

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

Strengths and weaknesses of jerboas

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

These rodents have 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.
• Mustache - length reaches to the heels. The most important of these small mammals.

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

But sight and smell are poorly developed in jerboas.

Similarity to a gourmet rat

A typical jerboa is remarkably similar to the funny cartoon character Ratatouille. He is just as fast, smart and direct. Watching the life of this rodent is no less interesting than watching a fascinating cartoon.

Nimble and shy nocturnal desert dweller

This chapter will tell you about the life of jerboas in the wild. These amazing rodents lead a certain lifestyle, consider its features:

• Isolation. Jerboas walk on their own, and approach only for the reproduction of offspring.
• They stay awake at night and rest in burrows during the day.
• They don't like to take risks. A small and nimble animal will never get out of its home unnecessarily, because it knows how dangerous and cruel the animal world is.
• They are excellent diggers. This skill is required to build underground dwellings. Very often, the rodent encounters compacted soil, which you can no longer rake with your 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 just love to build cozy minks. Jerboas build underground dwellings using sharp fangs and powerful front legs. They break through underground passages, sometimes reaching up to 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 of wool, fluff, moss and dry leaves. A jerboa builds a cozy abode for itself, the photo only confirms this.

Dwellings in jerboas are:

• Temporary.
• Permanent.

The latter, in turn, are divided into:

• Summer.
• Wintering.

Temporary dwellings of jerboas are simpler and located at shallow depths. The permanent burrow, on the other hand, is deep. The path to it can be up to six meters long, and, in addition to the main labyrinth, the rodent necessarily makes additional branches for the exit.

Science also knows cases of life of jerboas in abandoned ground squirrel burrows.

Winter dormouse and spring womanizer

All jerboas are characterized by hibernation. They fall into it with the onset of the first autumn cold (around October). The 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 a sharp warming.

Having thoroughly slept off and having absorbed the calories accumulated over the summer, the jerboa is ready for reproduction. 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, small rodents enjoy the care of their mother. At the end of this period, they leave their native nests and go to adulthood.

in a desert?

These rodents are omnivores. But the greatest preference is given to food of plant origin. The true delicacies are various seeds, shoots and roots of plants. The rodent will not refuse from the nutritious seeds of watermelons, melons and cereals. If during the night the rodent failed 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 those 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 be dangerous. Jerboa should be avoided:

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

Also, the anthropogenic factor strongly affects the population of jerboas. With the development of new natural territories by man (for example, the construction of high-rise buildings), the habitat of rodents also decreases.

This once again suggests that a person is obliged to reckon with 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 (where the jerboa lives, read on). 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 analyze the most interesting representatives of the jerboa family, including species that live in Russia. We will also tell you what the jerboa eats in the desert in more detail.

long-eared jerboa

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

It reaches a length of 9 centimeters, has 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 coat color of the animal is gray with a reddish tint. The flanks and belly are white, and the tuft on the tail is black.
Here is such a funny jerboa you can meet when traveling through the amazing Altai Territory. 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: it reaches a length of 5 to 6 cm. The tail is larger than the body and is 8 cm. The eyes of the pygmy 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.

Large jerboa (ground hare)

The largest representative of this family of rodents. In length it can reach up to 26 centimeters. The animal is distinguished by a long tail with a pretty brush, shaped like an elongated drop. The color of the earth hare is light brown, the shade of the skin changes 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 in southern Siberia; a little less often - along the southern tributaries of the Kama and Oka. Even the inhabitants of the Crimea sometimes notice an earthen hare that has climbed to eat delicious millet or rye seeds on the territory of some remote farm.

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

jumper jerboa

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

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

emiranchik

Oddly enough, but this glorious animal is also a jerboa. The animal is quite 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 clay steppes and gravelly deserts. However, sometimes found on sandy soils.

This rare species is common in Russia. It lives in the Dnieper region, in the south of the Volga region and next to it. 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 look for 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 - the correct place of residence of the jerboa is, of course, wildlife.

• Moves exclusively on two hind legs.
• Running away from a predator, develops speed up to 40 km/h.
• Real neat, not like some upright! During the night, an amazing animal takes care of its fur from 20 to 30 times.
• Some types of jerboas are so tiny that they fit easily into a tablespoon.
• During the day, the rodent independently regulates its body temperature. Sometimes 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 (this is a desert in the Middle East), it can be + 30 during the day, and only + 9 at night. That is why desert animals are perfectly adapted to extreme pressure and temperature drops.
• Excess fat accumulates in the animal in the tail. It is from it that one can judge the state of health of a particular jerboa.

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

Jerboas, 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 animals.

The best known are the desert or African jerboa, the large jerboa or ground hare, and the long-eared jerboa.

A large jerboa or earth hare weighs only 300 grams, its body length does not exceed twenty centimeters, but the tail of a large jerboa is about thirty centimeters long and is decorated with a fluffy tassel at the tip. This animal lives mainly in the arid regions of Eurasia. The earthen hare was nicknamed the jerboa because, with an outward resemblance to an ordinary hare, the jerboa lives in holes and spends all its time there during the day and only after dark is shown on the surface. The animals move by jumping, often developing a speed of about 50 km / h.

A large jerboa hibernates during the cold period, for which it prepares in the warm season, 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 loneliness. 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, therefore it is strictly protected by law.

The body length of this miniature desert dweller is only ninety millimeters, the tail is 160 millimeters, and the ears of the animal relative to its body are considered huge and are 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 or African jerboa. It can be found in many desert regions of Asia and Africa.

Like all known jerboas, the desert one is active at night and spends the daytime in burrows.

All jerboas have many natural enemies. Therefore, they have adapted to flee from predators by jumping and hiding in burrows, where they wait out the heat of the day and the winter cold.

And now, a photo collection of jerboas.

A photo. Jerboa family.

Video - “Small jerboa. Shirvan National Park. Azerbaijan."

The jerboa leaves the chase. Unique video.

and another video:

And now, a "civilized", domestic jerboa.

Long-eared jerboa (Euchoreutes naso)

Jerboa- a representative of the jerboa family (Dipodidae), mammals from the order of rodents. Outwardly, 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 deposited for the winter). Jerboas jump on their hind legs and are able to reach speeds of up to 50 km / h. So if you get this rodent in your home, consider your apartment as little Australia.

Kinds

In nature, there are about 30 species of jerboas. Let's just focus on the most common ones.

• Jumping 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. Able to climb 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 the brood, but the number can reach up to 7. Life expectancy in nature rarely exceeds three years.

• Comb-toed Jerboa (Paradipus ctenodactylus) reaches a length of 16 cm. On the foot - a long bunk brush. Lives in the sands of Kyzylkum and Eastern Karakum. It climbs bushes, jumps up to 3 m when running, but can run on its hind legs, stepping on them one by one.

• 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 above, white on the sides and on the belly. It lives in the deserts of Xinjiang and Alashan, it happens that it runs into the yurts of nomads.

The jerboa is nocturnal

• Five-toed pygmy 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-fingered pygmy jerboa has a grayish-buff coat with an admixture of 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.

• Fat-tailed jerboa (Salpingotus crassicauda) are the smallest members 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 pygmy jerboa lives in the Zaisan basin, the southern Balkhash region, the Mongolian Altai and the Gobi. It feeds on seeds of cereals, insects, plant stems. In captivity, the animals, planted in one cage, arrange fights and even sometimes eat each other. They are nocturnal, and climb into burrows during the day. The animal clogs the entrance to the hole with a sand plug, for which it pushes the sand with its head from the inside.

• Large jerboa (Allactaga major), or earthen hare, is the largest species. The length of the body is 19-26 cm, the tail is up to 30 cm. From above, this jerboa is colored brownish-gray or pale sandy-gray, the color is white from below. The large jerboa lives in semi-deserts, steppes and forest-steppes of South-Eastern Europe, southern Siberia and Kazakhstan. Animals settle in the meadow steppe and in the clayey semi-desert. Burrows have several emergency exits clogged with earthen plugs. In addition to permanent burrows, the large jerboa has simpler temporary burrows, as well as wintering burrows that go deep into the soil by 2-2.5 meters. For food, the large jerboa consumes plant seeds, bulbs and tubers, 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 the owners. If you love and are interested in your pet, then watch him late at night or watch his waking moments during the day.

If the animal gets out of the cage, then it will immediately climb into some hard-to-reach place. It will be incredibly difficult to get him out of there, and if you leave him where he hid, he will gnaw on furniture and it is possible that he will badly spoil the wall. It should also be remembered that it is undesirable to catch an animal by the tail, since the animal may lose its decoration.

Housing

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

For upland jerboas and other small species, a 1.2 x 0.25 meter meshed aquarium will be the optimal housing. One third of such an aquarium should be covered with a layer of turf. For animals adapted to life in a sandy area, sand is needed where they can bathe and clean their fur. Before pouring sand into the aquarium, it is necessary to sift it through a sieve. It is better to take river sand for these purposes.

An aquarium is the best housing for pygmy jerboas. As a flooring for these animals, a layer of turf with gravel is suitable. Preference should be given to fine sand. It is also necessary to install a cardboard or plywood house in the aquarium.

In winter, do not be surprised if your animal suddenly hibernates. This is more likely to happen on cold days or in a cool room. Therefore, if the utilities heat you poorly, install a heater at home. With it, your animal will be more comfortable and more likely 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

To keep your pet happy and healthy, you need to feed him, adhering to the diet in the wild. You should not give anything sweet, salty, peppery, as well as "human" food, that is, food prepared in modern ways. It is also undesirable to feed the animals with seafood, exotic fruits and berries (avocados, mangoes, raspberries, etc.).

Jerboas are easy to recognize among other animals, as they have a rather unique appearance - they have a small stature, a short body, long ears and very long and powerful hind legs. There is also a long tail, which can be longer than the body.

Family: Jerboas

Class: Mammals

Suborder: Mouse-like

Order: Rodents

Type: Chordates

Kingdom: Animals

Domain: Eukaryotes

Jerboa lifestyle

Most often, these rodents live alone, but sometimes live in groups. Jerboas are mostly nocturnal animals, but there are also species that are awake during the day. They live in burrows. Nocturnal animals in burrows spend all day closing the entrance to the burrow to keep cool and moist. They can jump up to 3 meters in height. They move quickly with the help of strong legs and a long tail, which serves as a kind of rudder and balancer for them.

Jerboas have temporary and permanent burrows, which are also divided into winter and summer ones. Permanent burrows have several exits. In case of danger, they escape from the hole through emergency exits. Some species hibernate in winter. An interesting fact is that the fat in jerboas is in the tail, which they use during hibernation.

Animal jerboa video

Jerboa breeding

Jerboas breed in spring and summer. From 1 to 3 litters are brought per year. On average, pregnancy lasts, depending on the species, from 25 to 45 days. From 1 to 8 cubs are born. Life expectancy in nature is about 3 years.

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