Hairy-footed Gerbil

About the Hairy-footed Gerbil

The hairy-footed gerbil (Gerbillurus paeba) is a species of rodent found in Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are dry savanna, temperate shrubland, hot deserts, sandy shores, and urban areas. All members of this genus have hair on the soles of their feet, hence the name. They prefer sandy soil or sandy alluvium with grass, scrub or light woodland cover.

The hairy-footed gerbil weighs around 27 g (0.95 oz), smaller than other Gerbillurus species. They have a head-and-body length of around 9 cm (3.5 in), and a tail length of 11 cm (4.3 in). Distinctive to this genus are the soles of the feet, which have hair tufts on them, and hairs on each toe.

The coloring of the paeba is similar to other Gerbillurus members. However, coloring varies with precise locality and population. The upper parts of the body are reddish-orange to a greyish-red, whereas other Gerbillurus members may be a bit darker. The underparts are always white and the tail is the same color as the upper body parts.

The hairy-footed gerbil is a species of rodent found in southern Africa in Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa... Wikipedia →