The lesser jerboa is a small rodent of Africa and the Middle East. Its diet consists mainly of seeds and grasses. Its looks and behaviour are surprisingly similar, with a jumping motion getting them around, and a long tail to help them maintain balance. Its colouring means that it is well disguised in much of its desert home.

The lesser Egyptian jerboa is a strictly nocturnal species, feeding on seeds, insects, succulent parts of desert grasses, and fungi (desert truffles Terfezia species), which it detects using its superb sense of smell. Amazingly, it does not need to drink in order to survive the arid desert conditions, relying on its food to provide it with all its water needs. Having said this, it is likely that its nocturnal helps with this, as when it is active, the desert is not particularly warm.

The lesser Egyptian jerboa can travel long distances in search of food, up to ten kilometres a day, which it easily covers thanks to its large feet and hopping stride; the jerboa is known to leap up to three metres in a single bound. 

Their burrows spiral down, and appear to go far enough to avoid the heat of the day (they also tend to fill in the hole when inside. It is found throughout the Sahara Desert, and in in scattered areas of the Sahel, and the Middle East.

Although rarely seen, they are considered as least concern.

The below is a mix of footage from captive members and wild footage. Below, you will find articles written on this site (if any). Below that, we hope to add destinations that you can hopefully see these for yourself (hopefully coming soon)