Edward’s Long-tailed Giant Rat (Leopoldamys edwardsi) is a rarely seen and poorly documented animal that we have only encountered on three occasions. It’s is very large rat with a long, bald tail and light underparts- a horror film director’s dream animal. A nocturnal species that’s found in montane forest. We have seen at Labahe, Emei and in the Dujiangyan area.Eurasian Harvest Mouse (Micromys minutus) also has a Sichuan distribution. This is an animal we found in dense bamboo on Emei Mountain and is our only record.
Great Gerbil (Rhombomys opimus) is found in desert habitat and we found this animal on the southern edges of the Gobi in Gansu province. This species hosts the bacteria that causes Bubonic Plague and has been linked with being the originator of medieval pandemics that spread from Central Asia.
Mongolian Five-toed Jerboa (Allactaga sibirica) is found in semi-desert type habit of Eastern Qinghai – especially in the Chaka Salt Lake area. Being nocturnal, this is a large eared species that heavily relies on hearing to escape predation. They resemble miniature kangaroos with their hopping gait and like that family, have evolved long ‘heavy’ tails as a counterweight for rapid, unsupported forward motion.
Northern Three-toed Jerboa (Dipus sagitta) is also found In the Chaka area of Qinghai. Like Mongolian Five-toed it is also a burrowing animal and when disturbed will try and make a quick getaway to the nearest escape hole.
