Save the Giant Kangaroo Rat
Help save this endangered animal!
description
The Giant Kangaroo Rat is a mammal. It has brown fur, and is normally about 4 inches long. They have special long legs, and their eyes are on the sides of their head.
food
The Giant Kangaroo Rat's diet consists of mostly seeds, and plants. However the Giant Kangaroo Rat is the diet of many other animals. These animals include badgers, owls, foxes, snakes, coyotes, wolves, and wild cats.
Long Legs
In this picture, you can see that the Giant Kangaroo Rat has very unusually long legs for a rat.
Body Size
In this picture you can see that the Giant Kangaroo Rat's body isn't as long as a normal rat's body.
Burrow
In this picture, you can see a Giant Kangaroo Rat poking it's head out of it's burrow.
Where does the Giant Kangaroo Rat live?
The Giant Kangaroo Rat lives in southern California. They like to dig their burrows in valleys or warm open grass lands. Their burrows are normally small and have separate chambers to store food. Giant Kangaroo Rats dig their burrows during the day, and gather at night.
How has the Giant Kangaroo Rat adapted?
Giant Kangaroo Rats have special elongated legs for jumping. They also have eyes on the side of their head so they can see approaching predators. Where Giant Kangaroo Rats live, it can get pretty hot. Therefore, they drag brush over the entrance of their home to keep the heat out.
Why are they endangered, and what are people doing to help it?
The Giant Kangaroo Rat is endangered because their desert habitat has been turned into oil fields and farm land. They're on the brink of extinction and lots of people say that large cities are to blame for 95% of their habitat loss! One of the worst parts about the Giant Kangaroo Rats extinction is that people aren't doing much to help!
Kangaroo Rat Hopping Uphill
Fun Facts
-Giant Kangaroo Rat's don't need to drink water because they have highly developed kidneys and get enough water from seeds.
-There are over twenty species of Kangaroo Rats.
You Should Help!
Every persons actions make a difference! So how about we make our actions contribute to the world in a positive way! You can join and help just by reducing, reusing, and recycling. This will help to make the air less polluted and help reserve the Giant Kangaroo Rat's land!
Cite
DOI: www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/interactives-extras/animal-guides/animal-guide-giant-kangaroo-rat/2196/
. N.p.. Web. 22 Apr 2013. <sites.google.com/site/giantkangaroorats2011/survival-adaptations>.
. N.p.. Web. 22 Apr 2013. <http://www.konicaminolta.com/kids/endangered.animals/library/field/giant-kangaroo-rat.html>.
. N.p.. Web. 24 Apr 2013. <http://www.arkive.org/giant-kangaroo-rat/dipodomys-ingens/>.