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Animal profile

Ord's Kangaroo Rat

Dipodomys ordii

MammaliaSandy soils in arid grassland, shrub-steppe and dune systemsLeast Concern

Field profile

Ord's kangaroo rat is a nocturnal, bipedal seed-eater with fur-lined external cheek pouches and a long tufted tail. It plugs its burrow entrances by day to conserve moisture. It occupies the northern edge of the genus's range in the Canadian prairies, where a small isolated population is at risk.

Scope note

This is an editorial profile, not a diagnostic field-identification guide or a substitute for current conservation assessments. Follow the cited sources on each fact for the evidence trail.

Published field notes

2025-07-03

Ord's Kangaroo Rat

Kangaroo rats never need to drink water

A kangaroo rat can live its whole life on dry seeds. It manufactures water by burning carbohydrate, then defends that water with kidneys that produce some of the most concentrated urine known in mammals and with nasal passages that recapture moisture from every breath.

Read with evidence →

Ord's Kangaroo Rat | Daily Animal Facts