Funny Animals - The Jerboa
The Jerboa is a rodent that has a long tail and is quite small. This
animal has long hind legs that allow it to jump for long distances.
In appearance, the Jerboa looks a little like a very small kangaroo.
It is interesting that this very small animal can jump up to 10 ft in
one single leap! It does this to escape from predators.
In total, there are around 25 species of this animal.
The Jerboa resides primarily in dry areas, such as deserts in Asia
and Africa.
During the daytime, these animals burrow underground and rest. These
are nocturnal creatures, which means at night time, they are more
active.
The Jerboa also looks like a mouse with longer than normal hind legs
and a long tail.
In most cases the Asiatic Jerboa is different from the
African version because it usually has hind feet with five toes. On the
other hand, the African Jerboa has three toes on their hind feet. The
Jerboa has fur that is soft, long, and silky.
The diet of this creature
varies greatly. Some are omnivores while others feed on insects, seeds,
or plants.
The forefather of the Jerboa probably came and separated from more
generalized rodents. According to history, this probably took place
around eight million years ago in the area of Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and
Turkmenistan. From there it spread to to other areas in the northern
part of Africa and also Europe. It is surmised that the excellent
hopping ability of this animal developed as a result of its need to
escape from predators and also the need it had to travel long distances
in search for food.
Probably the best known Jerboa is the Lesser Egyptian Jerboa. This
particular species resides in some very hostile deserts around the
globe. It is interesting that they do not drink. They rely on their food
to give them the water they need to survive.
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