Page:Kangaroo Rats NPS.pdf/1

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Kangaroo Rats


Kangaroo rats are incredibly well adapted for desert life.
Doug Burkett, Senior Scientist, ECO-­Inc. Photo


A rat that hops along on its hind legs like a kangaroo and can jump eight feet sounds made up, right? What if we told you this is true, and it can also, in some species, drum its oversized back legs on the ground, like Thumper from Bambi? Sounds like a superhero rodent. While they're not actually superheroes, kangaroo rats are common desert-dwellers known for their oversized back legs and ability to leap huge distances in a single