Gundis: Ctenodactylidae - Physical Characteristics, Habitat, Behavior And Reproduction, Mzab Gundi (massoutiera Mzabi): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, DIET, GUNDIS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS
food eat plant mainly
Gundis can be found in northern Africa.
Gundis are herbivores (plant-eating animals) and mainly eat leaves, stalks, flowers, and plant seeds. They cannot gnaw well, so they mainly eat these softer foods. Food is usually somewhat difficult to find in their habitat, so they have to travel far to find it. Gundis do not store food or reserve fat in their bodies, so their search for nourishment is never-ending. They usually will take food back to their shelter so that they can safely eat.
Gundis are hunted as food by some North African tribes. They could possibly be harmful to crops and gardens, if there were any near their living areas.
The felou gundi is the only species that is listed as Vulnerable, facing a high risk of extinction, by the World Conservation Union (IUCN), due to a decrease in its range and habitat. The other species are not globally threatened, although they could be threatened locally by human disturbances.
Additional Topics
Gundis are small rodents with soft, thick, and silky fur. Their fur helps to insulate their bodies from harm due to extreme sun exposure. They have large, blunt heads, flat skulls, and short, round ears. Their very round, large eyes help them to adjust quickly to bright sunlight when they come out of their rock shelters. They have a fringe of hair around the inner margin of their ears that protect…
Gundis are diurnal (mainly active during daytime). They can run quickly when necessary, but they are usually slow, and also shy. When they move, their bodies are very close to the ground; their bellies almost touch the ground. They have rough friction pads on their feet that help them climb rocks and surfaces that are almost vertical. They come out of their shelters during the first light of the d…
Physical characteristics: Mzab gundis are yellow or brown in color with flat, round ears that are flattened against their heads and do not move. They have powerful limbs and bushy tails. They have rough, friction pads on their feet that help them climb rocks and almost vertical surfaces. These pads can also stand extreme heat. Bristles above their claws help them when they dig through sand and als…
Citing this material
Please include a link to this page if you have found this material useful for research or writing a related article. Content on this website is from high-quality, licensed material originally published in print form. You can always be sure you're reading unbiased, factual, and accurate information.
Highlight the text below, right-click, and select “copy”. Paste the link into your website, email, or any other HTML document.
User Comments