You may have never heard about this tiny creature ‘Pygmy Jerboa’. This little animal is found in Balochistan, even many locals don’t know about Pygmy Jerboa.
This beautiful creature is extremely extinct and is very hard to catch as it runs or jumps real quick because of its smaller size and light weight. These rodents are very fast.
Pygmy Jerboa Facts:
This tiny adorable creature is found in both cold and hot deserts. Here are some of the facts about Jerboas:
1. They Move By Jumping:
Jerboas move around by jumping, this movement makes them similar to Kangaroos. Jerboas can cover a few feet both vertically and horizontally in a single jump, this enables them to move a lot faster than any other animal of their size.
2. Jerboas Don’t Drink Water:
Jerboas don’t drink water, they fulfill their water needs through the moisture in their food. Their diet is mainly based on plants and insects. The moisture in their food is enough to fulfill Jerboas water requirements.
3. Species of Jerboa:
Jerboas has 33 species in total, six of these species are pygmy. The one that is found in Balochistan is Pygmy Jerboa. One of the specie is long eared which makes them a lot more cute and adorable from its other species.
4. Jerboa Used As a Mascot in World War II:
In World War II, this quick and fast moving creature was used as a mascot by Britain. The animal inspired the Britain through its tactics and became a symbol for country’s 7th Armoured Brigade which was known as the Desert Rats.
5. They Aren’t Good Pets:
Jerboas carry a lot of different diseases which make them unsuitable to keep them on your homes as a pet.
Physical Appearance, Diet & Habitat:
Some of the species of Jerboa are similar to rats, Pygmy Jerboa are one of them. The average size of their adults is only 4.4 cm (1.7 inches) including head and body length, while the average size of the tale is 8 cm (3.1 inches). Their adult females weight 3.75 gm.
Jerboa mainly feed on windblown seeds and leaves, they raise the food from ground to the mouth by using their hands. Jerboas are mostly found in dry deserts, they live in burrows which are excavated under small bushes.
The only dangers to Jerboas are their predators which include the Leaf-Nose Viper snake, the Trans-Caspian Monitor Lizard and the Sand Cat.