Jerboa

Jerboas (from Arabic: جربوع‎ 'jarbūʻ' ) are hopping desert rodents found throughout Arabia, Northern Africa and Asia. Jerboas form the bulk of the membership of the family Dipodidae. They tend to live in hot deserts.

When chased, jerboas can run at up to 24 kilometres per hour (15 mph). Some species are preyed on by little owls (Athene noctua) in central Asia. Most species of jerboa have excellent hearing that they use to avoid becoming the prey of nocturnal predators. The typical lifespan of a jerboa is around six years.