Blanford's jerboa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blanford's jerboaJaculus blanfordi |
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Jaculus
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blanfordi
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The Blanford's jerboa (Jaculus blanfordi) is a small, hopping rodent that lives in the deserts of Central Asia. It's known for its long hind legs, which help it jump like a tiny kangaroo! This amazing creature belongs to the Dipodidae family. You can find it in countries like Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan.
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What is a Blanford's Jerboa?
How it Got its Name
The Blanford's jerboa was first described in 1884. A British zoologist named James Albert Murray gave it its scientific name. He worked at the Karachi Museum. Murray named this jerboa after another British expert, William Thomas Blanford. Blanford was a geologist and zoologist. He studied animals and rocks in India.
Where Do Blanford's Jerboas Live?
Homes in the Desert
Blanford's jerboa lives in Central Asia. Its home stretches from Turkmenistan and Iran. It also lives across the Kyzyl Kum Desert and Karakum Desert. You can find it in central Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and southwestern Pakistan. These jerboas prefer bare, hard ground. They like areas with clay or gravel in deserts. They do not usually live in sandy areas with big dunes.
How Blanford's Jerboas Live
Digging Their Homes
Blanford's jerboa is a solitary animal. This means it lives alone. It digs long tunnels in the hard ground. It uses its front teeth, called incisors, to loosen the soil. Its front paws help it dig and push dirt under its body. Its strong back legs kick the loose soil backward. It even uses its nose to push down loose soil.
Types of Burrows
Blanford's jerboas dig different kinds of tunnels:
- Temporary burrows: These are short tunnels. They have a few entrances and one small room.
- Breeding burrows: These are longer and have more tunnels. They have many entrances. The nest room is at least 30 centimeters (12 inches) underground. This is where they raise their young.
- Winter burrows: These have one long tunnel. It is usually flat. The main room is deep underground. This is where they stay safe and warm in winter.
What They Eat
This jerboa mostly eats seeds. It also eats parts of desert plants. Some plants they eat include Artemisia aucheri, Anabasis aphylla, and Peganum harmala. Scientists have found pieces of stems and leaves inside their burrows.
Is the Blanford's Jerboa Safe?
Conservation Status
The Blanford's jerboa lives in a very large area. Scientists believe there are many of them. In some places, like Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, their numbers might be going down. This is because some of their desert homes are being used for farming. However, this small decrease is not a big problem for the whole population. The International Union for Conservation of Nature says the Blanford's jerboa is a "least concern" species. This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.
