Green-winged macaws are also found on the eastern-most edge of Panama in Central America. #AnimalOfTheMonth 3/3

Green-winged macaws are endemic to a large swath of northern and central South America in all or parts of countries including – but not limited to -- Bolivia, Brazil, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela. #AnimalOfTheMonth 2/3

The green-winged macaw (Ara chloropterus) is one of the largest macaw species, second only in size to the hyacinth macaw. #AnimalOfTheMonth 🧵1/3

Photo of a green-winged macaw in an enclosure with bird toys in the corner.

#April showers may bring May flowers, but to us they’re also bringing #GreenWingedMacaws! Say hello to the green-winged macaw as our new #AnimalOfTheMonth!

Gerbils don’t live very long. In the wild, they may live a few months to a year, according to some estimates. In captivity with proper care, they can live 3-5 years. #AnimalOfTheMonth 5/5

Gerbils are monogamous and pair-bond for life. Older female gerbils who lose their mates are known to reject other new potential mates. #AnimalOfTheMonth 4/5

Female gerbils who are lactating and breed post-partum have a longer gestation of between 42-48 days as there will be a delayed implantation of the embryos to the uterine wall. #AnimalOfTheMonth 3/5

In female gerbils who are not lactating, gestation is about 25 days on average. The average litter size is between 4-6 pups, who are usually weaned at 21-25 days. #AnimalOfTheMonth 2/5

Gerbils will reach sexual maturity, on average, at about three months of age. They are polyestrous, which means they will breed at any time of year. #AnimalOfTheMonth 🧵1/5

But unlike cats, who use their voice box (larynx) to purr, gerbils make their purring sound by grinding or tapping their teeth together which causes small vibrations in their bodies. #AnimalOfTheMonth 2/2

It’s not only cats who purr – gerbils do too! Like cats, gerbils will also purr when they’re happy and relaxed. #AnimalOfTheMonth 🧵1/2

In order to escape temperature extremes and to conserve their energy, gerbils will sleep in their underground burrows during the hottest and coldest parts of the day. #AnimalOfTheMonth 4/4

In the wild, gerbils live in environments with extreme climates that can see temperatures swinging from 50 degrees Celsius in the summer to –40 degrees Celsius in the winter. #AnimalOfTheMonth 3/4

This means that gerbils are considered to be metaturnal animals as they are not strictly active only during the day (diurnal), night (nocturnal), or dawn and dusk (crepuscular). #AnimalOfTheMonth 2/4

Gerbils are polyphasic sleepers, which means that they sleep in short bursts throughout the day and night as opposed to being asleep for one long continuous period of time (monophasic). #AnimalOfTheMonth 🧵1/4

Gerbils need some oils in their fur to maintain a healthy coat. The oils also provide insulation, which helps them regulate their body temperature. #AnimalOfTheMonth 3/3

Instead, gerbils use sand baths to keep their fur clean. The sand not only helps remove debris, but it also spreads the oils in their fur and removes any excess oil. #AnimalOfTheMonth 2/3

Given that gerbils live in arid areas in the wild, it should come as no surprise that they are not used to getting wet and should never be bathed with water in captivity. #AnimalOfTheMonth 🧵1/3

The layers in the Mongolian gerbil’s retina are also the same as the layers in human retina. Because of these similarities, Mongolian gerbils are used in research into retinal health, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD) studies. #AnimalOfTheMonth 5/5

The Mongolian gerbil’s visual streak is similar to the fovea in the human eye. The fovea is a small depression in the retina that gives us sharp colour vision. #AnimalOfTheMonth 4/5

This horizontal band is called the visual streak and allows Mongolian gerbils to have a clear view of the horizon, which helps them detect predators from a distance in open, flat desert and desert-like habitats. #AnimalOfTheMonth 3/5

Mongolian gerbils have a horizontal band in their retina, which separates the projection areas of the ground and the sky. #AnimalOfTheMonth 2/5

Relative to their head size, Mongolian gerbils have large, round and slightly bulging eyes. They also have excellent eyesight. #AnimalOfTheMonth 🧵1/5

Selective breeding in captivity has resulted in Mongolian gerbils having a variety of fur colours and patterns; including – but not limited to – black, lilac, slate and pied. #AnimalOfTheMonth 4/4

In their natural state, Mongolian gerbils have light cream or off-white fur on their undersides. The rest of their slender bodies have a fur colouration known as agouti, which is a dull brown colour created by each hair being irregularly banded with several different colours. #AnimalOfTheMonth 3/4

Mongolian gerbils have slender tails that are long enough to equal their body length - an average of about 10 cms (4 inches). Covered in fur, their tails also have a small tuft of fur on the end. #AnimalOfTheMonth 2/4

Fully-grown Mongolian gerbils grow to an average length of 10 cms (4 inches) from the tips of their noses to the bases of their tails. #AnimalOfTheMonth 🧵1/4

Mongolian gerbils in the wild live in arid and semi-arid environments including deserts, semi-desert areas, and dry steppes (open grasslands). They also live in areas with clay soil and in agricultural fields. #AnimalOfTheMonth 2/2

Mongolian gerbils are endemic to Mongolia and neighbouring areas in southern Siberia and northeastern China. #AnimalOfTheMonth 🧵1/2

But there is only one species which is most commonly kept in captivity and that’s the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus), which is the species we are highlighting this month. #AnimalOfTheMonth 2/2