The Desert Woodrat is a pale, relatively small woodrat that inhabits the driest deserts of the Mojave, Sonoran, and Great Basin, surviving on the water contained in cactus pads and desert plants. It builds its stick house among cactus clumps, using the spines as a natural barrier against predators. Desert woodrats are strict specialists and rarely occur more than a few hundred feet from rocky or cactus habitat.
Best time to see a Desert Woodrat
The best time to see a Desert Woodrat is January–June, when about 61% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 472 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
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Recent Desert Woodrat sightings near you
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