Does an Animal with Kangaroo Legs, Rabbit Ears, and a Monkey Tail Really Exist?
Pet
There exists such an animal in the world, with a miniature body, about 30g in size, similar to a rat in size, with kangaroo-like long legs, a rat-like body, a monkey-like long tail, and rabbit-like long ears.
It is hard to imagine what kind of creature it is, but it can be confidently said that this strange animal is not a man-made hybrid, but a masterpiece of nature, and it truly exists, and it is called the Long-eared Jerboa.
Isn't it a little like the Long-eared Jerboa?
Even if you hate rats, you will fall in love with this rodent.
Just like the daily annoying rats, the Long-eared Jerboa also belongs to the order Rodentia, but the Long-eared Jerboa belongs to the Jerboa family.
The Long-eared Jerboa is a relatively special type of jerboa in terms of body size, with a narrow distribution area, and can be considered our Chinese endemic species. Besides China, it only exists in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia.
Although it is a close relative of rats, the two have very different treatments.
Similar to kangaroo-like long legs
The Long-eared Jerboa has strong hind legs, which can jump a distance of more than 1 meter high, considering its leg length of about 45mm and its body weight of about 30g, it is simply a 'high jump super ability' creature.
When encountering terrifying predators like owls, they can dodge at a speed of 25 km per hour.
It has a tail that is twice the length of its body
The Long-eared Jerboa's tail is usually twice as long as its body, which is why the Long-eared Jerboa is one of the cutest rodents.
They are very small, with an average length from head to rump of 95-107mm, while the average length of the tail is 147-180mm, so the tail accounts for the largest proportion of the body, even larger than the ears, which can maintain balance when jumping.
Disproportionately large ears
The most charming thing about the Long-eared Jerboa is its huge ears, which are really cute, but they are not just for aesthetics, the animals that usually live in the desert will use the huge ears to radiate heat and stay cool.
When blood flows through the ears, heat can easily radiate from the skin surface to the air.
Coin
Such a cute animal, isn't it heartwarming, hoping to have one as a pet, hoping to keep them in a pocket, even the United Kingdom likes them very much.
In the United Kingdom, the jerboa was once a symbol of the 7th Armored Regiment, and the team had the title of 'desert rat'. The reason why they had such a title was to hope that the soldiers of that time could be as alert and elusive as the Long-eared Jerboa.
Like liking, if as a pet, it is best not to.
The Long-eared Jerboa is not only cute but also fierce.
They live in harsh environments such as the Gobi Desert and the Sahara Desert, and they cannot survive without certain skills.
Imagine, from the jumping skills like Spider-Man to the largest proportion of ears in the animal kingdom, they are not just cute rodents, but also predators.
The Long-eared Jerboa is the only herbivorous jerboa in the jerboa family, while most members are purely vegetarian, and they mainly feed on insects.
Moreover, they are also carriers of monkeypox, and some countries have banned keeping them as pets.
Finally
Although the jerboa is small, it is very good at hiding. They do have predators, but snakes and other desert-walking animals are not the biggest threats to these cute animals.
Scientists and biologists believe that humans are the background hand behind the jerboa's daily life, because we are destroying their habitat.
Jerboa has been listed as a vulnerable species in 2013, fortunately, the Long-eared Jerboa is abundant in number, and in 2016 it is still in a state of no danger.
