Mammals
Great Gerbil
Rhombomys opimus · also called rhombomys
Across the flat deserts of Central Asia, mounds of freshly dug earth mark the burrows of great gerbils, whose sprawling underground colonies can reshape the landscape and host the plague bacterium.
Overview
The great gerbil, Rhombomys opimus, is a Least Concern rodent native to desert habitat across Central Asia. Its large size, colonies of mound-marked burrows, and role as a natural plague reservoir make it one of the most ecologically and medically significant desert rodents.
A rodent that shapes the desert floor
The great gerbil’s burrow colonies leave a visible mark on the desert, and the animals living in them play a key part in the natural cycle of plague across Central Asia.
Status
Least Concern, widespread and often abundant across suitable desert habitat.
Great Gerbil: common questions
How big is the great gerbil?
It is one of the largest gerbils, noticeably bigger than the small pet gerbils.
What do great gerbil colonies look like?
They are networks of burrows with many entrances, marked by visible mounds of excavated soil across the desert.
Why is the great gerbil important to disease researchers?
It is one of the main natural reservoirs of the plague bacterium in Central Asia, so scientists monitor its populations.
Where is the great gerbil found?
It is native to desert habitat across Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Mongolia, northern China, Iran, and Afghanistan.