Bushy-tailed jird facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bushy-tailed jird |
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| Conservation status | |
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Sekeetamys
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| Species: |
calurus
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The bushy-tailed jird (Sekeetamys calurus) is a cool little rodent that looks a bit like a mouse. It's the only species in its group, called Sekeetamys. You can find these jirds living in Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan. They especially love rocky areas.
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Meet the Bushy-Tailed Jird!
The bushy-tailed jird is a type of rodent that belongs to the Muridae family. It's known for its unique, fluffy tail. This animal is quite special because it's the only species in its entire genus!
What Does It Look Like?
This jird is a medium-sized rodent, similar to a large mouse. It has a very distinctive bushy tail.
- Size: From its nose to the tip of its tail, it measures about 23 to 29 centimeters (9 to 11.5 inches) long.
- Tail: Its tail alone is about 13 to 16 centimeters (5 to 6.5 inches) long.
- Weight: An adult bushy-tailed jird usually weighs between 27 and 50 grams (about 1 to 1.8 ounces).
It has big ears and light-colored patches around its eyes. Its fur is yellowish-brown on its back, with black tips on the hairs. The sides of its body are lighter, and its belly is white. The tail starts yellowish-brown, then turns greyish-black, often with a white tip. This bushy tail is quite fluffy and stands upright, which is unusual for small rodents in its area. Its legs are thin, and its back feet are long with no fur on the soles.
Where Do Bushy-Tailed Jirds Live?
You can find the bushy-tailed jird in several dry and semi-dry places. These include eastern Egypt, the Sinai Peninsula, southern Israel, and southern Jordan. They live in areas where it rains less than 100 millimeters (about 4 inches) per year.
Interestingly, these jirds seem to be moving further north in Israel. They used to only be found as far north as the Tze'elim Stream near Masada. But now, they have been seen at Ein Gedi, which is west of the Dead Sea. This shows they might be expanding their territory!
How Are Bushy-Tailed Jirds Doing?
The bushy-tailed jird is not a very common animal, but its population seems to be stable. This means their numbers are not going down. There aren't any major threats to them right now. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed their conservation status as "least concern." This is good news, as it means they are not currently at risk of disappearing.
