Buxton's Jird

Buxton's jird has dark cinnamon-brown fur and a conspicuous black brushy tail. As in other jirds, the pelage of Buxton's jird is fairly long, soft and dense on the body, while the fur on the tail is short near the base and becomes progressively longer towards the tip. In most Meriones species, the sides of the body are generally lighter than the back, and there are often lighter areas around the face. The underparts are usually white, pale yellowish, buff or pale grey. The feet of Buxton's jird are pale, with strong, pale claws. Body length is 14–19 centimetres (5.5–7.5 in) and tail length 11–17 centimetres (4.3–6.7 in). Jirds typically have narrow, well-developed ears and a long tail which measures almost the same as the head-body length. Most species have slightly elongated hind legs for leaping. Buxton's jird has a more robust and angular skull than other Meriones species.

The species is endemic to the coastal region of northern Sinai (Egypt) and Israel, where it is found in the northern Negev desert and on the coastal plain south of the Yarkon River. An inhabitant of arid, sandy environments, its habitat consists primarily of coastal dunes, deserts, and arid steppes, all with fairly limited vegetation. It has also been observed in cultivated fields, grassland and mountain valleys.

This species is named for the British hunter and conservationist Sir Edward North Buxton, a founder of the Society for the Preservation of the Wild Fauna of the Empire, which has since grown to become the prominent conservation organisation Flora and Fauna International.