Gazrat

Gazrat is a fictional mammal created for world-building in speculative fiction and educational exercises. In its depicted ecosystem, the gazrat is a small, nocturnal, burrowing herbivore adapted to arid grasslands and semi-desert regions. It serves as a common subject in in-universe studies of desert ecology and mammalian adaptation.

In most in-universe classifications, gazrats are placed in the order Rodentia and the family Muridae, though taxonomic schemes vary by author. The name gazrat is said to derive from the fictitious Gazri language, combining elements meaning night and burrow.

Gazrats measure roughly 14–22 cm in body length with a 6–9 cm tail. Their fur ranges from sandy to ochre, providing camouflage in dune environments. They have strong incisors, compact bodies, and short ears, with powerful forelimbs for digging. Gazrats are primarily nocturnal and solitary, emerging after dusk to forage seeds, roots, tubers, and insects; they cache surplus food in shallow burrows.

Gazrats inhabit arid grasslands and desert margins, constructing shallow, multi-entry burrows up to 2 meters long. They use scent marking and vocalizations for territory awareness. Breeding occurs seasonally, with litters of 2–4 offspring after a 28–32 day gestation. Weaning occurs around four weeks.

In culture and conservation, gazrats appear in folklore and art as symbols of endurance and resourcefulness. In-world science treats them as a model for studying desert adaptation. No real-world conservation status exists for gazrat, but in-story habitat disruption is described as a potential threat.