This jird occurs in Morocco. Moroccan samples form two lineages, and questions remain about the boundary between this species and the closely related Shaw’s Jird.
A 2017 specimen study reports reddish coloration on the neck and underside, plus a dark line along the tail, in material attributed to M. grandis.
In Morocco it has been recorded across several bioclimatic zones, reaching at least 2,800 m in the High Atlas. Relatively moist Middle Atlas sites, palm plantations, and gardens are also reported.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.