---
title: "What the sources say about the Greater Jerboa | AnimalTracks.wiki"
description: "49 claims from the Greater Jerboa profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it."
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# What the sources say about the Greater Jerboa (*Jaculus orientalis*)

> 49 claims from the Greater Jerboa profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it. A "..." marks a cut in a quote and [brackets] an insertion.

Profile: [Greater Jerboa](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/greater-jerboa/)

## Jaculus orientalis (greater Egyptian jerboa). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Jaculus_orientalis/

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| flees predators in leaps measured at up to 3 meters long | Its normal bipedal walking/running gait turns into great leaps as it flees a predator. These leaps have been measured at 1.5 to 3 m long and 1 m high. |
| on hind legs about four times the length of its front ones | The hindlimbs are roughly four times as long as the forelimbs |
| Humid coastal and salt semi-deserts, subtropical shrubland, rocky valleys, and cultivated barley fields across North Africa | lives in humid coastal and salt semi-deserts and in subtropical shrubland, including rocky valleys and meadows. They are also found in barley fields of the semi-nomadic Bedouin tribes. |
| Succulent roots, seeds, grains, sprouts, and occasional insects | feeds primarily on succulent roots, sprouts, seeds, grains, a few cultivated vegetables, and occasional insects. |
| Bipedal leaping on hind legs about four times the length of its forelimbs | Its normal bipedal walking/running gait turns into great leaps as it flees a predator |
| hind legs about four times the length of its forelimbs | The hindlimbs are roughly four times as long as the forelimbs |
| leaps have been measured at up to 3 meters long | These leaps have been measured at 1.5 to 3 m long and 1 m high. |
| whose normal gait is a walk or run on its two hind legs | Its normal bipedal walking/running gait |
| An adult averages 139.1 grams | average body mass is 139.1 g. |
| measures 9.5 to 16 centimeters | Range length 9.5 to 16 cm |
| males slightly larger than females | Males are slightly larger than females |
| a tail that averages 12.8 to 25 centimeters and ends in a tuft of black and white hair | ends in a tuft of black and white hair; the tail length averages 12.8 to 25 cm (5-9.8 inches) |
| Its hind legs are roughly four times the length of its forelimbs | The hindlimbs are roughly four times as long as the forelimbs |
| In each hind foot the metatarsals, the long bones between ankle and toes, are fused into a cannon bone, and the first and fifth toes are missing, leaving three long, flattened toes | The metatarsal bones of the hind feet are fused together into a 'cannon bone,' and the first and fifth digits are missing, leaving three long, flattened toes. |
| Hair along the sides and bottom of those toes increases the foot's surface area and aids its movement on sand | Hair on the sides and bottom of toes increase the surface area of the foot and aid in locomotion on sand. |
| When standing, it rests its tail in a curve for support and balance | When standing, J. orientalis rests its tail in a curved position, providing support and balance. |
| sifting through sand and loose soil for seeds, holding food, and climbing plants | They use their front paws to sift through sand and loose soil looking for seeds, to handle food, and to climb plants. |
| When alarmed at night, the jerboa heads for its burrow or other shelter, and its bipedal walk turns into great leaps, measured at 1.5 to 3 meters long and 1 meter high | When alarmed at night, J. orientalis takes off towards its burrow or another safe, sheltered area. Its normal bipedal walking/running gait turns into great leaps as it flees a predator. These leaps have been measured at 1.5 to 3 m long and 1 m high. |
| That leap is its only line of defense | This is the animal's only mechanism of defense |
| Its diet is mostly succulent roots, sprouts, seeds and grains, plus a few cultivated vegetables and the occasional insect | feeds primarily on succulent roots, sprouts, seeds, grains, a few cultivated vegetables, and occasional insects. |
| Water comes from the green plants it eats, and it can go long stretches without a drink | derives water from green vegetation and can live without drinking free-standing water for long periods of time. |
| Home is a burrow dug into desert sand and clay by brushing, pushing and beating away the soil, running 0.75 to 1.75 meters deep and 1 to 2.5 meters long | dig burrows into desert sand and clay by brushing away, pushing, or beating the soil. Burrows can range from 0.75 m to 1.75 m in depth and 1 to 2.5 m long. |
| with a main chamber and, in most cases, an emergency exit tunnel | All burrows have a main chamber where the jerboa lives and most have an emergency exit tunnel as well. |
| The nest inside is often lined with camel hair, dry shredded plants and plant wool | The nest is frequently lined with camel hair, dry shredded vegetation, and plant wool to keep the inhabitant warm. |
| In wet winters burrows are dug into hillsides to avoid flooding, and the entrance is usually left open | In rainy winters burrows are made on the sides of hills to avoid flooding, and the entrance is usually left open. |
| Summer burrows usually sit on lower ground near vegetation, with the entry hole plugged with soil, possibly to keep out snakes and warm air | In the summertime, burrows are usually on less elevated areas near vegetation; the entry hole is plugged with soil, possibly to prevent snakes and warm air from entering. |
| The jerboa emerges from its burrow in late dusk and retreats at dawn | These jerboas emerge from their burrows during late dusk and retreat at dawn. |
| Earlier studies found no hypothermia or temperature-induced torpor in Jaculus, suggesting the greater jerboa was active year-round | Earlier studies observed neither hypothermia nor temperature-induced torpor in Jaculus, suggesting that J. orientalis neither hibernated nor aestivated and was active year-round. |
| Bedouin reports suggest the animals disappear in winter, which implies long stays underground | reports by Bedouins suggest that these animals disappear in the winter, implying extended below ground occupancy of burrows. |
| Later investigations supported that idea and have depicted it as an ideal model for deep hibernation | Later investigations supported this hypothesis and have depicted J. orientalis as an ideal model for deep hibernation. |
| during cold periods it accumulates lipid reserves and develops a seasonal obesity | during cold periods J. orientalis accumulates lipid reserves, developing a seasonal obesity |
| After that fattening, its body temperature drops to around 9.8°C, against 37°C when active, and its heart rate falls to about 9.3 beats a minute, from around 300 | Following this accumulation, the jerboa's body temperature decreases to around 9.8°C and the heart frequency drops to about 9.3 beats/min; an active jerboa maintains a 37°C body temperature with a heart rhythm around 300 beats/min. |
| Its lifespan in the wild is unknown | The lifespan of J. orientalis in the wild is unknown |
| It is found across North Africa, in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt, and reaches east through Sinai into southern Israel | can be found across North Africa in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt. The species is especially common in Egypt and extends east through Sinai and into southern parts of Israel |
| The first and fifth toes are missing, leaving just three long, flattened toes on each hind foot | the first and fifth digits are missing, leaving three long, flattened toes. |
| The metatarsals, the foot bones between ankle and toes, are fused into one "cannon bone" | The metatarsal bones of the hind feet are fused together into a 'cannon bone,' |
| hair on the toes' sides and soles adds surface area for moving on sand | Hair on the sides and bottom of toes increase the surface area of the foot and aid in locomotion on sand. |
| The whole hind leg is about four times as long as the front leg and gives leverage for long jumps | The hindlimbs are roughly four times as long as the forelimbs and are used for leverage when the animal jumps great distances. |
| It gets its water from green vegetation, and it can live for long periods without drinking free-standing water | derives water from green vegetation and can live without drinking free-standing water for long periods of time. |
| It stores no food and has no cheek pouches | Jaculus does not store food or have cheek pouches |
| during cold periods it builds up fat reserves | during cold periods J. orientalis accumulates lipid reserves |
| Leaping is its only defense, and if a snake, fox, fennec or owl actually gets hold of it, the jerboa generally cannot get away | This is the animal's only mechanism of defense, and generally it cannot get away from a predator once captured. Common predators of J. orientalis include snakes, Rüppel's foxes, fennecs, owls, and humans. |
| weightKg: 0.14 | average body mass is 139.1 g. |
| escape leaps have been measured at 1.5 to 3 meters long and 1 meter high | These leaps have been measured at 1.5 to 3 m long and 1 m high. |
| a two-legged rodent | Its normal bipedal walking/running gait |

## Aulagnier (2016). Jaculus orientalis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T10913A115518664.

https://doi.org/10.2305/iucn.uk.2016-3.rlts.t10913a22201033.en

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Least Concern | Least Concern (note: IUCN category read through GBIF's copy of the Red List, as the prefetch instructs) |
| The IUCN lists the species as Least Concern | Least Concern (note: IUCN category read through GBIF's copy of the Red List, as the prefetch instructs) |

## Jaculus orientalis. AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Human Ageing Genomic Resources.

https://genomics.senescence.info/species/entry.php?species=Jaculus_orientalis

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| one captive jerboa lived 5.5 years | One captive specimen lived 5.5 years |

## Soukri et al. (1996). Occurrence of a differential expression of the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene in muscle and liver from euthermic and induced hibernating jerboa (Jaculus orientalis).

https://doi.org/10.1016/s0378-1119(96)00494-5

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| A gene study describes Jaculus orientalis as "a true hibernating rodent" | jerboa (Jaculus orientalis), a true hibernating rodent |