Kangaroo Rat

Kangaroo Rat cartoon

Kangaroo rats are amazing animals.  They never drink water.  They get all the water they ever need from the seeds that they eat.  They are native to North American deserts.  They are nocturnal animals...that is to say, they are active at night.  They hop just like the Australian kangaroos.  But they evolved this trait independently.  It is called convergent evolution.  They weigh or have a mass of between 70 and 170 grams, 2.5 to 6 ounces.

Another unusual feature is that they have fur lined cheek pouches.  .   . for storing seeds and nuts.  As you look at the drawing you will see that kangaroo rats have back legs that are much larger than their front legs.  As tiny as kangaroo rats are, they can leap up to 9 feet, 3 meters.

Kangaroo rats mostly eat seeds and nuts, however, they will also eat plants and even insects.  This means that they are omnivores, because they eat both animals and plants.   There are 20 species of kangaroo rats.  Some hide their food cache of seeds and nuts in their large burrow mound.  Others hide small caches of nuts and seeds near the source.

Kangaroo rats can freeze or hold completely still to blend in with their desert surroundings.  They do this to avoid being spotted by predators.  They are brownish tan in color with a white tummy and some white spots on some.  Their big eyes help them see at night when they are active.  Larger eyes give an animal more light gathering capability so they can see better at night.

Remember to color the sky a very dark color because kangaroo rats are active at night.

Kangaroo Rat realistic

Kangaroo Rat Photo