Small Jumping Rodent

photo credit: cashmarie81 via flickr

Habitat: Northwest China & Southern Mongolia deserts

Population: Unknown

Status: Endangered

Have you ever come across such a cute and comic creature like this on the planet? Well the Long-eared Jerboa is certainly a unique creature due to its massive ears, crazy long tail and extremely long hind legs for jumping. In fact, it is distinct enough that scientists consider it as the only member of both its genus, Euchoreutes, and subfamily, Euchoreutinae.

Very little is known about this small jumping rodent thanks to is minuscule size, nocturnal nature and harsh desert environment that it inhabits. The first ever footage of the Long-eared Jeboa in its natural habitat was taken in 2007 by the Zoological Society of London´s EDGE program. With this footage they made remarkable discoveries (view it below). Unfortunately, the species is thought to be declining as a result of human disturbance of its deserts, livestock intrusion and in addition, the animal’s water sources are drying up.