Mammals
Great Jerboa
Allactaga major · also called great jerboas
Bursting from cover in a single, explosive leap, a great jerboa clears several metres of open steppe on its powerful hind legs, using speed and unpredictable direction changes rather than size or strength to stay ahead of anything trying to catch it.
Overview
The great jerboa, Allactaga major, is a large, bipedal hopping rodent native to desert and grassland steppe habitat across Central Asia and parts of Eastern Europe. Its extraordinary leaping ability, greatly elongated hind legs, and status as one of the largest members of the jerboa family make it one of the most physically remarkable small mammals found anywhere across the open steppe.
Built entirely for the leap
Every part of the great jerboa’s body, from its powerful hind legs to its long, balancing tail, exists to serve a single purpose: covering open, exposed ground as quickly and unpredictably as possible, a strategy that has let it thrive across some of Central Asia’s most predator-exposed terrain.
Status
Least Concern, remaining widespread across suitable desert and grassland steppe habitat throughout Central Asia and parts of Eastern Europe.
Great Jerboa: common questions
How far can a great jerboa jump?
This species can leap several metres in a single bound using its long, powerful hind legs, one of the more extreme jumping abilities documented in any small mammal, a skill that helps it cover open steppe terrain quickly while evading predators.
Why does the great jerboa have such long hind legs?
This species moves almost entirely on its greatly elongated hind legs, using its much shorter forelimbs mainly for handling food and digging, a bipedal hopping locomotion style that allows for rapid bursts of speed across open desert and steppe terrain.
How is the great jerboa different from other jerboa species?
This species is among the largest members of the jerboa family, considerably bigger than several of its smaller relatives found across overlapping parts of Central Asia, though it shares the same basic hopping body plan and nocturnal, burrow-sheltering lifestyle as other jerboas.
What does the great jerboa use its tail for?
This species uses its long tail, often tipped with a distinctive tuft, to maintain balance during rapid directional changes while leaping at speed, an essential stabilising tool for an animal that relies almost entirely on jumping to get around.