▁ger bil ▁is ▁found ▁from ▁northern ▁Sen eg al , ▁Maur it ania , ▁Western ▁Sah ara ▁and ▁Mor oc co ▁east ▁to ▁Tib esti ▁Mountains ▁of ▁Ch ad ▁in ▁the ▁south ▁and ▁to ▁Cy ren a ica ▁in ▁eastern ▁Lib ya ▁in ▁the ▁north . ▁The ▁recently ▁noted ▁extension ▁of ▁its ▁range ▁into ▁northern ▁Sen eg al ▁may ▁be ▁an ▁indicator ▁of ▁increased ▁desert ification . ▁ ▁Hab itat ▁Tar ab ul ' s ▁ger bil ▁occurs ▁in ▁sand y ▁desert ▁and ▁semi - des ert ▁areas , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁coast al ▁ste ppe . ▁ ▁Hab its ▁Tar ab ul ' s ▁ger bil ▁is ▁a ▁no ct urn al ▁species ▁that ▁dig s ▁complex , ▁shall ow ▁bur rows ▁( 1 5 – 2 5   cm ▁in ▁length ) ▁in ▁the ▁sand ▁and ▁which ▁pl ugs ▁the ▁entrance ▁to ▁its ▁bur row ▁during ▁the ▁day . ▁It ▁bre eds ▁during ▁throughout ▁the ▁ra iny ▁season , ▁July ▁to ▁September , ▁beginning ▁bre eding ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁coll ▁dry ▁season ▁in ▁April ▁and ▁ending ▁at ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁cool ▁dry ▁season ▁in ▁November . ▁Bar n ▁ow ls ▁Ty to ▁al ba ▁have ▁been ▁recorded ▁as ▁pre ying ▁on ▁this ▁species . ▁ ▁Tax onomy ▁Tar ab ul ' s ▁ger bil ▁was ▁considered ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁junior ▁tax onom ic ▁syn onym ▁of ▁the ▁greater ▁Egypt ian ▁ger bil ▁Ger b ill is ▁py ram id us ▁but ▁has ▁a ▁different ▁chrom os ome ▁count