European regional assessment: Near Threatened (NT)
EU 27 regional assessment: Not Recorded

The species is assessed as Near Threatened (nearly meeting VU A2ac) for the European region based on a suspected population decline over the past 10 years of 20-25%, following larger declines which occurred between 1990-2000. It is listed as Endangered in Ukraine, and Vulnerable in most parts of Russia. Local extinctions took place (Moscow region, west of the Dnieper River and some other). A continuing decline in the quality of habitats leads to severe population fragmentation over all of the European part of the range. It does not occur in the EU 27 member states.

In the European region, the species is distributed in forest steppes and desertic areas from Ukraine to European Russia. It has gone extinct west of the Dnieper River and from most northern parts of the range.

The distribution extends out of the European region through Kazakhstan and north Uzbekistan to west Siberia and west Xinjiang, China (Shenbrot et al. 1995, Wilson and Reeder 2005).

Allactaga major is a widespread species, but became rare in most of the European part of the range experiencing a 30% population decline between 1990-2000. In Ukraine and western European Russia it survives in severely fragmented isolates. Relatively stable populations remain in the southern parts. Some subpopulations continue to be lost, and the population is suspected to have declined by 20-25% in the past 10 years.

This is one of the most ecologically plastic Jerboa species. It inhabits various habitats; in the northern part of the range the main limiting factor is grass density, and the species is restricted to areas with sparse vegetation. In the steppe zone, it often inhabits roadsides, field edges, pastures and flat slopes of ravines. It occurs in deserts and semideserts areas but it avoids moving sands. It prefers areas with loamy soils, with absinth and succulent vegetation.

It feeds on underground and green parts of plants, also on seeds and occasionally on insects and molluscs. There are three types of burrows: permanent summer burrows, permanent winter burrows, and temporary burrows. The Great Jerboa enters hibernation in autumn after the first frost and it becomes active again in March-April. The reproductive period is prolonged. Pregnant females may be found from March to July. During the reproductive period, females may have two litters. Litter size ranges from one to eight young, usually three to six.

Habitat degradation due to the lack of grazing on pastures is the main ongoing threat for the species as Jerboas rapidly go extinct from areas with tall grass. Ploughing, residential buildings, road construction, development of tourism facilities (hotels) in the steppes along the Black and Azov seas, as well as intensive construction of wind power plants, lead to the loss of habitats and further population fragmentation. The conflict zone encompasses over 90% of extant subpopulations in Ukraine, and several localities became areas of ongoing battles. Intensive mining, construction of trenches and heavy shelling result in severe habitat degradation and increased animal mortality.

In the first half of 20th century, this jerboa was occasionally trapped for its fur, with up to twenty thousand individuals killed annually in Ukraine. The practice ceased in the 1970s. Currently, it is occasionally used as exotic pets. As it has a complex ex situ breeding requirements, all new specimens for pets are wild-captured.

In Ukraine, it is a protected species and included to the National Red book (Endangered as of 2021). It is protected in Russian regions, including: Bashkiria (NT), Belgorod (CR), Voronezh (DD), Kursk (VU), Lipetsk (EN), Penza (VU), Samara (EN), Tatarstan (VU), Moscow (Extinct in wild).

It avoids protected areas due to a lack of grazing and and suitable habitat in them. Previously, it could be found in the Black Sea Biosphere Reserve, Askania-Nova Biosphere Reserve, Luhansk Nature Reserve, Rostov Nature Reserve and some other protected areas. Urgent conservation measures are needed to protect the species, which would also benefit from additional research.