Facts
  • Known from western Xinjiang (northwest China) and extreme southern Mongolia.
  • Jerboas are small jumping rodents that resemble mice with long tufted tails and very long hindlegs.
  • The long-eared jerboa can be distinguished from other jerboas by its enormous ears, which are about a third larger than the head.
  • The long-eared jerboa is thought to have one of the largest ear to body ratios of any mammal.
Threats
  • The species is thought to be at risk from human disturbance of its habitat.
  • Increasing numbers of grazing livestock may be a threat in some areas.
  • Predation by feral cats has recently been identified as a potential threat to some Mongolian populations.
  • Drying of water sources and drought, possibly due to a combination of human activities and climate change.
Conservation Required
  • Further ecological research to determine behaviour, ecology and the impact of threats.
  • Habitat surveys.
  • Community surveys to determine which activities might potentially be impacting upon jerboa populations.
  • Development of comprehensive Conservation Action Plan detailing the actions needed to save the species.
  • Habitat protection and management within existing protected areas.


Proposed Actions

EDGE aims to determine the status of the long-eared jerboa in Mongolia and produce recommendations to inform future management of the species.

The long-eared jerboa is a nocturnal mouse-like rodent with a long tail, long hind legs for jumping, and exceptionally large ears. It has been reported from China and ten localities in desert habitats of Trans Altai Govi Desert and Alashan' Govi Desert in Mongolia. Less than half of the species' range in Mongolia occurs within protected areas. Very little is known about the species' ecology or the dominant threats to its survival. No conservation measures specifically aimed at this species have been established to date.

EDGE is supporting a Mongolian Fellow to carry out vital ecological research to determine the range, population trends, and the impact of threats on this poorly known species, in order to produce a management plan outlining the steps required to ensure long-term viability of the species.

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Associated Blogs
9th Jul 09
It is not long until the second group of EDGE Fellows arrives in the UK for the annual conservation skills training course, so here Uuganbadrakh gives his im...  Read

11th May 09
EDGE Fellow Uuganbadrakh, who is researching the long-eared jerboa in Mongolia's Gobi desert, tells us here about using radio telemetry to track these little...  Read

20th Feb 09
EDGE Fellow Uuganbadrakh recently sent us some information on human impacts on the long-eared jerboa: The Mongolian Gobi desert contains many ancient obje...  Read

15th Apr 08
Our Mongolian EDGE Fellow Uuganbadrakh has just sent us some more information and photos that he has collected while studying the Long-eared jerboa in Mongol...  Read

2nd Apr 08
Our Mongolian EDGE Fellow Uuganbadrah Oyunkhishig sent the EDGE Team some information on how he has been harmlessly capturing Long-eared jerboas to collect...  Read

30th Jan 08
Now that it is winter and the long-eared jerboas are hibernating, our jerboa EDGE Fellow, Uuganbadrakh is concentrating on studying for his Master's ...  Read

17th Jan 08
We were exhausted from having been up all night, but the intense heat made it impossible to sleep.  We rolled up the base of the ger to get some ventilation...  Read

10th Dec 07
Scroll down to find out more about the expedition to Mongolia's Gobi Desert and view the first known footage of the extraordinary long-eared jerboa in it...  Read