Long-eared Jerboa

Euchoreutes nas

The Long-eared Jerboa is a really crazy looking little rodent, mostly because its titular ears are actually 1/3 larger than its head. They have one of the largest ear to head ratios of any mammal! It also, like other members of its family, has very long hind legs and a long tail that help them to move about and give them traction in desert habitats.

Long-eared Jerboas are both the only member of thier genus, and the only member of their Subfamily, making them genetically distinct among rodents. However, their small size and nocturnal habits have made them very difficult to locate and study. In fact, they were only first caught on camera in 2007!

We don't know a whole lot about this tiny creature, unfortunately. But we do know that they are nocturnal, spend the daytime in burrows, and are herbivores.

Habitat loss and human disturbance are thought to pose a risk to the Long-eared Jerboas, but they can now be found in many protected areas, and their are no specific conservation measures for the species.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern

Location : China and Mongolia

Size : Body length 2.8in (7cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Rodentia
Family : Dipodidae -- Genus : Euchoreutes -- Species : E. naso