Mongolian gerbil They are somewhat larger than mice, with a body about long (and a tail of similar length), with a body mass averaging in females and in males. The Mongolian gerbil is classified as a "prohibited new organism" under New Zealand's Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996, preventing it from being imported into the country. The species is also prohibited in the US state of California. "Meriones unguiculatus" evolved on the semideserts and steppes of Mongolia. There, they developed long legs for jumping and running from predators, teeth to deal with hard seeds and plant matter, and water conservation techniques
Tarabul's gerbil length averages 102.9mm and the tail length averages 148.4mm. Tarabul's gerbil is found from northern Senegal, Mauretania, Western Sahara and Morocco east to Tibesti Mountains of Chad in the south and to Cyrenaica in eastern Libya in the north. The recently noted extension of its range into northern Senegal may be an indicator of increased desertification. Tarabul's gerbil occurs in sandy desert and semi-desert areas, as well as coastal steppe. Tarabul's gerbil is a nocturnal species that digs complex, shallow burrows (15–25 cm in length) in the sand and which plugs the entrance to its burrow during the day. It