The Gundis: A Small Rodent That’s Big On Cute

Gundis are a family of rodents (Speke’s Gundi, Felou Gundi, Desert Gundi, North African Gundi and Mzab Gundi) that are native to the rocky deserts of Northern Africa. They are small and stocky, with soft fur, short legs, short tails (in some Gundis, the tail is covered with a fan of hair that aids in balance), and large eyes. Gundis are herbivores that will eat any available plant, but they do not drink water (this is a result of their desert environment), and instead get all of their moisture from what they eat. A mother Gundis will gestate her young for roughly two months, before giving birth to a litter of only two babies; the mother will then only produce a small amount of milk and the babies will be weaned within four weeks of age. Gundis are known to live in colonies as large as a hundred individuals, but they never take on a permanent den and instead will simply take shelter wherever they see fit.