It is found in North Africa where its natural habitats are arable land and rocky areas of the Maghreb, and hot Saharan deserts.

[3] The North African gerbil is found in Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Sudan, Tunisia, and possibly Chad and Mauritania.

The timing of breeding depends on location, but in Egypt coincides with the winter rains, and in North Sudan follows the short wet season in September to November.

[3] The North African gerbil, part of the rodent family, is often considered a pest within its natural habitat.

As a burrowing rodent, farmers often aim to harm North African gerbils as they pose threats to crop yields.