Genus: Meriones
Species: unguiculatus
The Mongolian Gerbil is light brown with black tipped hairs and its under fur is gray. They are the size of any pet gerbil. They live in burrows with sandy soil and a little bit of grass, herbs and shrubs. They eat seeds, roots, vegetables and drink water. When they eat seeds, they spread them to different areas and make new plants in that area.
In the gerbil family there are 2 to 17 gerbils, but there are more males than females. They live together by age. For example, the older ones live with the older ones and the younger ones live with the younger ones. In the family, older gerbils take care of the younger gerbils and males take care of the females.
Mongolian Gerbils live in harsh conditions but do not have many enemies. When ever they come across an enemy, they use their strong legs so they can jump really high to escape the enemy or they can use their strong legs to help them dig really fast to escape the enemy.
They do not have much competition with getting their food because all the other animals that eat what they eat are smaller than them.
They are not well spread around the steppe, but they are not endangered.
Chantal G. 2000.
Bibliography:
"Mongolian Steppe.", http://www.fonz.org/zoogoer/sgl1997/mongolian.htm, (June, '00)
"Mongolian Gerbil.", http://www.rodent.demon.co.uk/gerbils/wild,htm, (June, '00)