feed on any seeds it may find. It sometimes enters homes to search for food. It is active throughout the year, with breeding activity being related to the temperature and day length, and fecundity to food availability. Litters vary in size, with three to six young being normal, and population sizes vary considerably. Predators include the pale fox, the barn owl, and the sand viper. This gerbil shows a homing ability, with 50% of individuals displaced from their burrow by being able to find their way home, and 20% displaced by . Status This gerbil has a very wide range across North Africa. It is a common species with the population size varying from year to year but in the long term appearing to be stable. No particular threats have been identified, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern". References Gerbillus Rodents of Africa Rodents of Asia Mammals described in 1801 Taxa named by Guillaume-Antoine Olivier