Indian desert gerbil , Indian desert gerbil
The Indian desert jird or Indian desert gerbil (Meriones hurrianae ) is a species of jird found mainly in the Thar Desert in India. Jirds are closely related to gerbils.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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OmnivoreAn omnivore is an animal that has the ability to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and ani...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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FossorialA fossorial animal is one adapted to digging which lives primarily but not solely, underground. Some examples are badgers, naked mole-rats, clams, ...
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BurrowingA burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct ...
Among animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withIndian desert jirds have grey-brown coats with yellowish-grey bellies. The distinguishing characteristics of these small rodents are short ears, long black claws and orange incisors. Jirds are closely related to gerbils but are differentiated by the absence of long hind feet and the characteristic erect posture of a gerbil.
Indian desert jirds are found in southeastern Iran and Pakistan to northwestern India. In India they can be found in Rajasthan and Gujarat. These animals inhabit desert and barren areas preferring firm soil. They are not to be found in pure sand dunes or rocky outcrops.
Indian desert jirds are gregarious animals and their burrows are seen close by. Each jird will have at least two or more entrances to his burrow complex. Often the entrance is in the shade of a tree or near the trunk of bushes. These desert jirds are diurnal, which means that they are active during the day and sleep at night.
These omnivorous animals feed on seeds, roots, nuts, grasses and insects.
Nothing is known about the reproductive behavior of Indian desert jirds, as they are difficult to observe in the wild.
Indian desert jirds are threatened by habitat loss and degradation due to the expansion of agriculture, logging operations and collection of fuel wood. They also suffer from pest control programmes and climate changes such as drought and floods. Indian desert jirds are also harvested for local consumption.
According to IUCN, the Indian desert jird is locally common but no overall population estimate is available. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...