The Desert Kangaroo Rat is the largest North American kangaroo rat, with a pale sandy coat that provides near-perfect camouflage on the fine-grained desert sands it inhabits. Its massive hind legs allow bursts of speed exceeding 10 mph and powerful vertical leaps to evade sidewinder rattlesnakes. The species is restricted to the lowest, hottest, sandiest deserts of the Sonoran and Mojave.
Habitat
Sandy substrate Sonoran and Mojave Desert floors
Diet
Seeds, dried vegetation, and occasional insects
How common
Uncommon
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