Rugged Rodents

And speaking of rodents (see the Saucy Squirrels post), have you ever heard of a jerboa?  It is Asia and Northern Africa's version of the kangaroo rat (native to North America).  It generally lives in a desert environment and because of the desert heat, it sleeps in its burrow during the day and hunts for food at night when it's cooler.  Perhaps the most unusual looking of the 30 some species is the long-eared jerboa which lives in northwestern China and southern Mongolia.

Source:  Mongabay

Very aptly named, I must say.  Some species like the Lesser Egyptian Jerboa even 'hibernate' during the hottest months and rely on the moisture in its food rather than water to survive - a very gutsy little critter that lives in some of the harshest climates on the planet.  Even though its name suggests otherwise, this species is found across northern Africa.  And even though Wikipedia claims that this is the best known of the group, they only have a few sentences about this guy.

Source:  Mammal Watching

Jerboas in general live in burrows with several entrances and also maintain escape burrows to evade predators.  They generally eat any plant material they can find, including seeds and grasses.

Found in the Middle East, the Euphrates Jerboa also lives in dry lowland grassland habitats.

Source:  Catsclem - Dieren

Their long hind legs help propel them through their environment, with their tail helping with balance.  As cute as they are, these are tough little critters.  For a video, click here.