Anderson's gerbil

Anderson's gerbil, Gerbillus andersoni, is a medium-sized gerbil of the coastal plains of North Africa and the Middle East, ranging from Tunisia and northern Libya to Egypt, Israel and southwestern Jordan. It has dense tan fur with a reddish tint above and a white underside, very large dark ears, large eyes ringed in black and a white patch above each eye. Its length is estimated at 19 to 27 centimetres, its tail alone at 11 to 15 centimetres, and it weighs roughly 16 to 38 grams. It is nocturnal and usually occupies sandy, often solidified dunes, though it also lives in sandy valleys, very dry areas and on mountainsides. It digs burrows, but its warrens are less complex than those of other gerbils, which suggests a nomadic lifestyle. It eats seeds, notably those of the evergreen shrub Thymelaea hirsuta, and breeds in late winter and early spring when that plant sheds its seed. Gestation lasts 20 to 22 days and litters hold three to seven young. The IUCN lists it as Least Concern, noting that overgrazing is the only threat mentioned.