Indian Desert Jird: Tiny Musketeer of Rajasthan’s Thar Desert

While we often talk about how harsh a desert landscape can be, the true extent of its inhospitality has to be experienced to be understood. Temperatures often exceed 50 degrees C in the summer and plummet below zero degrees in the winter. Living in such an extreme environment is not for the fainthearted. The inhabitants of this arid landscape have adapted to their environment in remarkable ways. For instance, the chinkara (Gazella bennettii) can go for months without water by relying on the moisture in the plants it eats. Or, the Laungwala toad-headed lizard (Bufoniceps laungwalaensis) has evolved a thick, armoured skin that shields it from the hot desert sand. Another creature that has not only adapted to this extreme habitat but is also thriving here is none other than the Indian desert jird.

The Indian desert jird (Meriones hurrianae) is a member of the largest mammalian family, Muridae (the rodent family). It is a truly remarkable mammal that inhabits arid and semi-arid regions. In India, it is commonly found in the Thar desert. Its geographic range spreads westward from there to Pakistan and south-eastern Iran. While sand dunes cover a significant portion of their home range, jirds prefer habitats consisting of sandy plains with a higher density of vegetation or interdunal regions. Being energetic and restless, spotting them in the Thar is a task. A quick, hasty glance tells you nothing particularly spectacular about this animal. But the more you observe it, the more likely you are to uncover their well-kept secrets.

When I first saw a jird, it was almost as if someone was performing a magic trick. It appeared in front of me for a mere second, only to disappear just as quickly, blending seamlessly with the dunes. During my first two days at Desert National Park (DNP), I couldn’t tell if what I was seeing was there or if it was simply my imagination. But as I slowly started learning the language of the shifting sands, I found ways to track their tiny feet in the forever-changing dunes. Soon enough, I realised that jirds were everywhere. And although I didn’t always see them, their numerous burrows were a constant reminder of their presence.

Unlike their fellow gerbil species, desert jirds are diurnal, i.e., most active during the day. Interestingly, it changes its daily routine as the seasons change. During winter, the jird emerges from its burrow after sunrise, spends the entire day outside and retreats into its burrow at dusk. However, in summer, it modifies this routine by venturing out early in the morning, returning to its burrow when the day heats up and set out again in the evening for a few hours until nightfall. By adapting to these seasonal changes, the jird skilfully navigates the challenging environmental conditions of its habitat. In summer, it avoids exposure to extreme heat by limiting its activity during the hottest parts of the day, and in winter, it forages during the day and retires in its deep burrows at night when the temperature may drop to 1-2 degree C. And this is not its only adaptation.

A change in the season also brings about a change in the jird’s diet. From October to March, when food options are limited, it primarily feeds on seeds. During the hot summer months, this typically herbivorous animal munches on juicy insects like grasshoppers, beetles, and locusts, to supplement its water requirements. And as the rain clouds relieve the parched land, the jird switches back to its typical diet of green leaves, flowers, and stems. Interestingly, during the monsoon and winter, it sometimes makes its burrows close to the tumba creeper (Citrullus colocynthis) as it feeds on the creeper’s seeds.Thus, by changing its diet during various seasons, it not only adapts to the availability of food but also overcomes intermittent periods of water scarcity.

It may seem like all they have to do in the day is eat and dig burrows, but life is much more complex than that. Being the most commonly found rodent species, jirds are a highly sought-after prey for several desert inhabitants, from birds of prey like falcons and eagles to other fossorial mammals like desert foxes and cats. However, jirds have developed a clever strategy to stay one step ahead of their predators—burrows. Their seemingly straightforward burrows are a complex network that often includes multiple openings, making it difficult for predators to catch them. For instance, if a fox enters one burrow hole, the jird can quickly exit through another, leaving its pursuer waiting in vain. Along with this, researchers have also discovered that jirds are highly attuned to the sounds of their surroundings. They can easily perceive the sound of wingbeats from raptors and make a quick escape to their burrows. Interestingly, harmless birds like pigeons and babblers do not provoke the same level of distress in them, suggesting that they can distinguish between the wingbeats of predatory and non-predatory birds.

With several survival strategies and tricks up its furry sleeves, the Indian desert jird has adapted to live in one of the most hostile ecosystems on the planet. Not only is it a major food source for carnivores and raptors in the area, but it also plays an important role in shaping the plant community through its burrowing behaviour. The mud it excavates during burrowing also helps to loosen the soil, which, in turn, plays an important role in soil erosion for this region.

All in all, the Indian desert jird is truly a desert celebrity. If you ever find yourself lost in the Thar desert, keep an eye out for this mighty little creature — it could teach you a thing or two about surviving in one of the toughest places on Earth in style.