ding ding ding it’s time once again for WEIRD RODENT WEDNESDAY

Week #3- the Long-Eared Jerboa

Jerboas are a family of bipedal, nocturnal, desert-dwelling rodents that look like gerbils on stilts. Jerboas as a whole are already pretty strange looking animals, but the long-eared jerboas take it to the next level, with ears that are bigger than any other animal’s, compared to their body size. Each ear can be a third longer than their head! These animals are very rare and elusive in the wild- they were first captured on film just thirteen years ago, in 2007.

Long-eared jerboas are native to the deserts of Mongolia and China. They mostly stay in underground burrows during the intense heat of the day, and then come out at night when it’s cooler. Their huge ears help them to release excess body heat, and also to zero in on the sound of insects, which make up almost all of their diet. Look at those long claws! Perfect for digging their burrows. Or for snatching a tasty bug right out of the air.

In addition to their unique ears, long-tailed jerboas have the oversized, muscular hind legs, and tail almost double the length of their body, that are mostly standard jerboa fare. They hop around like a kangaroo, with their furry soles allowing them to more easily stay above and travel over the sand. These particular jerboas prefer open areas with sparse vegetation, and use their incredible speed and agility to escape from predators. When running, they fold their ears flat to help reduce wind resistance. Even for jerboas this species is pretty speedy!

I hope you enjoyed learning about this funky little creature! Stay tuned for next week’s weird rodent :)

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