Wednesday 9 March 2011

Lesser Egyptian Jerboa, Djoudj

Sometimes you need a lot of luck, various circumstances or both to see certain birds or animals. The Jerboa was one of these. After a very long day in Djoudj we were driving back to Fredericks house when i realised, after 15-20km, that i had left my scope and tripod under an acacia bush in the middle of the park. We turned around and retrieved it but then as we drove back home for the second time, Paul suddenly got the squirts and had to empty himself twice at the roadside. A few km's further down the track a golden rodent suddenly appeared in the dirt road and froze in the headlights - a bloody Jerboa. After slowly crawling up to it i ended up 6 inches from an animal that i can only describe as being like a miniature Kangaroo crossed with a Rabbit and several other rodents. Had i not left my scope in the park and Paul not got the Barry Whites we wouldn't have had an encounter with this extraordinary creature.