Pygmy Jerboa – the smallest rodent in the world

• Also known as the Desert Rat
• They live in the desert – hence their alternate name
• This little species is from Asia and North America
• The large ears help to keep them cool, the same way an elephants ears work – the blood vessels in the ears being close to the surface of the ear allowing heat to escape easily and quickly as needed
• The large ears also provide excellent hearing, allowing them to hear predators and escape before the predator gets too close
• They are only 2 inches in length
• They can jump up to 9ft in length
• They eat plants and insects, and get most of their water this way
• These tiny rodents have litter sizes of between 2-6 pups (babies)
• A solitary species – exceptions made during breeding seasons, and sometimes in limited environments, loose colonies may be formed to better share out resources

Northern Pudú – the smallest deer in the world

• They range in size from 32-35 cm in height
• They can grow up to 85 cm in length
• The Northern Pudú is from Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru
• Their slightly larger counterpart is the Southern Pudú, it is from southern Chile and southern Argentina, and can grow up to 44cm in height
• The males have 2 short, pointy horns rather than tall staggered antlers
• The females do not have horns or antlers
• Males are called Bucks or Stags, and the females are called Does
• The fawns (baby deer) have a lighter brown colouration with white stripes/ spots to help them blend into the undergrowth and stay safe
• The adults have a solid, darker brown colouration

Least Weasel – the smallest mustelid in the world

• Approximately 11 – 26 cm (4 – 10 inches) in length (from tip of nose to base of tail)
• This species weighs approximately 25 grams!
• Despite its small size, it is capable of killing a prey 5 – 10 times its own weight
• Babies are called kits, males are known as a Jack or a hob, and females are known as a Jill or a doe
• The litter size of the Least Weasel is between 3 – 10 kits
• Their diet is made up of small rodents, small birds, bird’s eggs, poultry and rabbits
• Large birds of prey, such as owls and hawks, are predators of the Least Weasel
• They are also the smallest carnivore in Britain
• These tiny weasels live in a range of habitats – including grasslands, sand dunes, woodland and mountains
• They must eat roughly between 40% – 60% of their body weight daily