Jerboa

Jaculus jaculus

A rodent that jumps ten feet

Numbers

its body measures four to five inches long, while the tail alone measures eight inches and serves as a counterweight.
in a single bound it can cover ten feet, which is about twenty-five times the length of its own body.
in a single night it can travel up to six miles while searching for seeds, insects, and juicy grasses.
it never drinks water, as all the moisture it needs comes directly from the food it manages to find.
it has three toes on each hind foot, resting on a tuft of hair, alongside extremely long hind legs.
it digs its spiral tunnels counterclockwise, using its front legs and sharp teeth as tools for the job.
its burrow features multiple entrances, rooms used as pantries, and a nesting chamber at the deepest point.
in late spring and summer it seals the entrances with sand plugs to keep out heat and trap humidity.
it finds food using smell and can locate desert truffles of the genus Terfezia hidden deep underground.
it is usually quiet, but if disturbed it can emit grunts or very faint high-pitched squeaks.

The first one is the question printed in your book: here is the answer. The other four are extra.

Question 1 of 5★ this one is in your book

How far can a jerboa cover in a single bound?

Question 2 of 5

What is the long tail used for?

Question 3 of 5

How does the jerboa get water?

Question 4 of 5

Why does it block its burrow entrance with a sand plug?

Question 5 of 5

What is the jerboa's only defense?

Experiment 1

Measure ten feet on the floor with tape and try jumping that distance from a standstill, which equals just one bound of this rodent.

Experiment 2

Draw a five-inch body and an eight-inch tail on paper, and you will see that the tail is almost twice as long as the body.

Experiment 3

Walk six miles using a pedometer or phone application to feel the full distance this small animal travels during a single night.