Comments on: First Film of Long-Eared Jerboa

By: kittenz

kittenz — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 23:38:50 +0000

This is the cutest little animal I have seen in a long time! I hope that some of these little guys can be brought into captivity, to a good zoo with excellent breeding programs, to provide some insurance against extinction in the wild due to habitat loss.

Perhaps enough of them could be raised in captivity to eventually allow them to be kept as pets. Other jerboas are kept as pets. If these teeny rabbit-eared fellas could be raised in captivity what enchanting little pets they could make! Of course, there are those who would argue against that idea, but what people come to love, they are more apt to try to save.

By: mystery_man

mystery_man — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 08:25:27 +0000

I wholeheartedly agree that the desert ecosystem is given short shrift by many and deserves conservation measures as much as any other environment does. The desert is not a desolate, lifeless place, but is rather full of biodiversity and animals that are quite uniquely adapted to live there. Take this Long-eared jerboa for instance. Can anyone guess why its ears are so amazingly large in contrast to its body?

Answer: Most likely as a way to dissipate body heat in the hot, arid environment. Something that small needs a way to stay cool in such a climate, and exposing as much skin as possible enables them to more effectively do that. Conversely, some Arctic animals have smaller ears for the opposite reason, to retain heat.

The desert is full of similar amazing examples of how different animals have adapted to make this harsh environment their home. To me, it is simply marvelous.

By: cryptidsrus

cryptidsrus — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 01:45:37 +0000

Cute little thing.

C_STREED:

Heh-heh-heh.

By: c_streed

c_streed — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 00:53:20 +0000

It’s a guy in a mouse costume. Obvious fake.

By: Kryptos

Kryptos — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 20:08:44 +0000

Guess they had to sneak in a camera to catch it on film, with those ears it’d hear you coming from a mile away!

By: loyalfromlondon

loyalfromlondon — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 19:33:06 +0000

I want one of those for Christmas

By: DARHOP

DARHOP — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 19:11:23 +0000

Wow! I bet if that lil guy had enough running room, he could fly away. I thought I had big ears. This lil dudes are huge. Kinda reminds me of Dumbo. Cute lil thing anyway.

By: plant girl

plant girl — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 17:27:24 +0000

Great film footage. That is the cutest little animal I have seen lately. I hope to hear more about it in the future.

By: Rappy

Rappy — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:48:16 +0000

The little thing is so adorable, with his big reverse basset hound ears and little puff tail.

By: Saint Vitus

Saint Vitus — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:07:35 +0000

I have heard of the jerboa but had no idea they were considered so rare. Not only can they obviously hear an enemy from a mile away, but they have extra long whiskers that run almost the entire length of their body, which they use to feel around in the dark.