Thick-tailed pygmy jerboa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Thick-tailed pygmy jerboa |
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| Conservation status | |
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| Genus: |
Salpingotus
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| Species: |
crassicauda
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The thick-tailed pygmy jerboa (Salpingotus crassicauda) is a tiny rodent that lives in parts of China, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia. It's known for its long tail and hopping movements. These jerboas make their homes in dry areas like temperate grasslands and temperate deserts. Even though they face threats like losing their habitat, the IUCN says they are currently of "least concern," meaning they are not in immediate danger of disappearing.
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What is a Thick-tailed Pygmy Jerboa?
This small animal has a body about 45 to 60 mm (1.8 to 2.4 in) long. That's roughly the size of a large thumb! Its tail is a bit longer than its body. The jerboa has a big head and tiny eyes. Its ears are short and shaped like tubes. Sometimes, its tail can look a bit thicker near the bottom. This is where the jerboa stores extra fat. These jerboas usually get all the water they need from the food they eat. But if they find water, they will drink it.
How Thick-tailed Pygmy Jerboas Live
The thick-tailed pygmy jerboa is a solitary animal. This means it lives alone. It is also nocturnal, which means it is active mostly at night. During the day, it sleeps in its burrow.
Jerboa Homes
This jerboa builds a permanent burrow underground. Its burrow has many tunnels. These tunnels can stretch for up to 3 m (10 ft) long. The jerboa seals the entrances to its home with loose sand. If a jerboa is outside and sees a predator, it tries to quickly bury itself in the sand.
What Jerboas Eat
This jerboa mostly eats small invertebrates. These include insects like grasshoppers and spiders. It also eats some plant material, especially seeds.
Predators of the Jerboa
Many animals hunt the thick-tailed pygmy jerboa. These include owls, mountain weasels (Mustela altaica), marbled polecats (Vormela peregusna), and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes).
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Thick-tailed pygmy jerboas have their babies in the spring and summer. A mother jerboa usually gives birth to two to five young ones at a time.
What is the Jerboa's Status?
The number of thick-tailed pygmy jerboas can change a lot. Their populations go up and down. They are also spread out differently in various places.
Threats to Jerboas
These jerboas face several dangers. Predators hunt them. Long periods of dry weather, called droughts, can also harm them. When too many animals eat the plants in their habitat, it's called overgrazing. This can destroy the jerboa's home. Their burrows can also be destroyed. Sometimes, jerboas are hit by cars on roads.
Conservation Status
The IUCN tracks how many animals are left in the wild. For the thick-tailed pygmy jerboa, there isn't enough information to fully know its conservation status. Because of this, it is listed as "data deficient". This means more research is needed to understand if it's truly safe or at risk.
