Small Five-toed Jerboa

Small Five-toed Jerboa

Allactaga elater

Shirvan National Park

A species of animal belonging to the family of Arabidopsis of the order of Rodents of the class of Mammals. In Azerbaijan, it is mainly found in the Kura-Araz lowland, the Absheron Peninsula, and sometimes in the foothill regions.

Small in size, body length 5-15 cm, tail 7-25 cm and weight 44-73 g. The tail is long, hind legs are large. The color of the back of the body is gray. The sides are light, grayish-yellow. The neck, chest and belly are snow-white. It has long whiskers. Its paws have five fingers.

It moves at speeds of up to 48 km per hour. It feeds on various herbs, seeds and insects. It leads a secretive lifestyle, being active at dusk and at night. It lives in burrows. It hibernates for about four months (from mid-November to mid-March). The breeding season begins after hibernation. It gives birth to 2-3 litters per year, with 2-6 pups per litter.