All plants and animals need water for their survival. However, there is one creature which does not drink water in its entire life. It is the tiny kangaroo rat found in the South Western deserts of the United States.
Kangaroo rats are an important part of desert life. They are often eaten by other animals for the water in their bodies! The rats can run very fast, covering 6 metres in one second, to avoid their enemies. They use their long tails as rudders (broad flat piece of wood) when jumping and can even change their course in mid-air.They move about by leaping, but with such an accuracy that they can jump over a cactus and land on top of a grass-hopper. Because of their long, powerful legs and the strong tail which resemble those of the kangaroo they are called the kangaroo rats. They grow to about 38 cm long, including a tail of 20 cm. They have short front legs, large heads and big eyes. Their silky fur is yellow or brown on the upper parts and white on the lower parts.
How does the kangaroo rat survive without water? The physiological structure of desert plants and animals is such that they need very little water to survive. So efficient are the kidneys of the Kangaroo rat that it never has to drink water. All the liquid it needs is extracted from the plants, roots and seeds it eats. Yet it is enough to keep the kangaroo rat alive. It lives near bushes by making holes in the ground.
The kangaroo rat’s legs are proportionately very long as compared with other parts of the body. When two kangaroo rats fight, it appears as though they were fighting with sticks.
