Kozlov's pygmy jerboa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kozlov's pygmy jerboa |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Salpingotus
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| Species: |
kozlovi
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The Kozlov's pygmy jerboa (Salpingotus kozlovi) is a super tiny rodent. It's part of the Dipodidae family, which includes all sorts of jerboas. You can find this little jumper in the deserts of northwestern China and southern and eastern Mongolia. It loves living in dry, sandy places called temperate deserts.
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Meet the Kozlov's Pygmy Jerboa
This jerboa is a very small rodent with a big head and a super long tail. Its body is only about 43 to 56 mm (1.7 to 2.2 in) long. That's like the length of your thumb! Its tail is much longer, measuring 119 to 126 mm (4.7 to 5.0 in). It weighs between 7 and 12 g (0.2 and 0.4 oz), which is lighter than a few paper clips.
Its fur feels very soft and silky. The top part of its body is sandy-grey, blending in with the desert. Its sides are a bit lighter, and its belly is white or yellowish. This jerboa has special hind feet with three toes. These feet have thick pads of long hair on the soles. This helps it move easily on sand. Its tail has a few long hairs and a dark, fluffy tip.
Where Kozlov's Pygmy Jerboa Lives
Kozlov's pygmy jerboa lives in southern and eastern Mongolia. It also lives in northwestern China. You can find it in Chinese provinces like Gansu, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Shaanxi, and Xinjiang.
Its favorite home is sandy desert and semi-desert areas. These places often have scrubby plants like saxaul (Haloxylon ammodendron) and tamarix. These plants provide some cover and food.
Life and Habits of the Jerboa
Scientists don't know a lot about the daily life of Kozlov's pygmy jerboa. We do know it lives in a burrow underground. This burrow keeps it safe from predators and the hot desert sun.
It is mostly active at night, which means it's a nocturnal animal. It comes out at dusk to find food. It eats seeds and green plants. It also enjoys eating spiders and insects.
Reproduction and Young
Kozlov's pygmy jerboa usually has its babies in April and May. A mother jerboa typically has three to five young ones in each litter.
Conservation Status
Kozlov's pygmy jerboa lives across a large area. It is also quite common in places where the habitat is right for it. We don't know if its total population is growing or shrinking. However, scientists believe there are many of them.
This jerboa lives in several protected areas, which helps keep it safe. There are no big threats that scientists have found for this little jerboa. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature says its conservation status is "least concern". This means it's not currently in danger of disappearing.
