Tristram's jird
Meriones tristrami
natureizo · Adiyaman Merkez
Key facts in one look
- Status in Georgia
- Native, range about 477 km²
- Size
- Head and body 10.6–17.1 cm, 42–130 g
- Habitat
- Steppes and semi-deserts
- Family
- Muridae
- Conservation
- DD / LC
In Georgia, Tristram's jird (Meriones tristrami) lives in a very small area: its known extent of occurrence in the country is about 477 km². It has been found in southern Kvemo Kartli, near Shulaveri, Shaumiani and Soghanlugi, on the left bank of the Debeda and on the lower Khrami. It is a large jird of steppes and semi-deserts, found from Anatolia and the Levant to Iran, that digs burrows in the ground. The 2006 Red List of Georgia lists it as Vulnerable, while the 2021 assessment found too little data to assign a status. If you see a jird in this area, a photo would be very valuable.
Identification
Tristram's jird: how to identify it
A large jird with a relatively short tail. The back ranges from pale greyish fawn to dull reddish brown, and the belly is white. It is most easily confused with the Libyan jird.
Head and body 10.6–17.1 cm, tail 10.3–16.7 cm, weight 42–130 g. Males are clearly larger than females.
The tail is 77–125% of the head and body length and ends in a poorly developed dark brush, about a quarter of the tail long. The tail is bicoloured. The soles of the hind feet are hairy except for the front part.
The Libyan jird's tail is almost as long as its body and ends in a conspicuous black tuft, and its claws are black. Both live on dry steppes, so use a good photo to identify it, not a trap.
Colour
Swatches are illustrative. Do not identify a species by colour alone.
Often confused with
It is a jird of steppes and semi-deserts that lives only where annual rainfall exceeds 100 mm. It needs soft, well-drained soil and avoids rocky areas. In Georgia it has been found on Mount Iaghluja, near Shaumiani, Shulaveri and Soghanlugi, on the left bank of the Debeda and on the lower Khrami. In Azerbaijan it has been recorded as high as 2000 m.
It eats seeds, grain, leaves and stems. Data on whether it hoards food are contradictory. Some studies found it storing up to 5 kg of food in its nest for winter, while others found no stores at all.
It is active at night and at dusk. It digs its burrows into the sides of hillocks, with several entrances. It lines its nest, about 20 cm across, with plant material, shredded paper and even other refuse. In Turkey its winter burrows are shallow with 1–2 entrances, while summer burrows have 4–5 entrances and reach 70 cm deep. It breeds all year round, most actively from March to September: gestation lasts 25–29 days, and a litter has 1–8 young.
In Georgia the 2021 national assessment lists it as Data Deficient (DD), and its population trend is unknown. The 2006 Red List of Georgia, however, lists it as Vulnerable (VU B2a) because of its small, fragmented range. Globally it is not threatened (LC, 2021): it is widespread, lives in many protected areas and faces no serious threats.
Related guides
Continue with related pages
Only in southern Kvemo Kartli. It has been found on Mount Iaghluja, near Shaumiani, Shulaveri and Soghanlugi, on the left bank of the Debeda and on the lower Khrami. Its known range in the country is about 477 km². To the south its range continues into Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey.
The 2006 Red List listed it as Vulnerable because its range in Georgia is small and fragmented. The 2021 national assessment found too little data to set a status and rated it DD. This does not mean it is safe: it means its numbers and trend are unknown.
Mainly by the tail. Tristram's jird has a weak dark brush at the tail tip, while the Libyan jird has a conspicuous black tuft and black claws. Tristram's jird also has a relatively shorter tail. If you cannot tell, take a photo and show it to a specialist.
No, it does not attack. Still, wild rodents can pass on diseases through bites, scratches, urine, droppings and fleas. So do not touch a jird with bare hands.
References
What this profile is based on
Species profiles are compiled from peer-reviewed literature and established biodiversity databases, and are reviewed as new taxonomic and conservation data become available.
Prepared by the Reptiles.ge editorial team from the sources listed here.
