Kangaroo rats are unique animals that live in desert and dry, open areas. They are perfectly adapted to desert life, and can survive without drinking water, as they get moisture from their seed diet.
But, what makes kangaroo rats special is their exceptional sense of hearing. It helps them detect enemies like owls and snakes, even when they are approaching from a distance.
Kangaroo rats have large ear-drums and middle ears. However, the oval window between the middle and the inner ears is considerably smaller. This peculiarity helps the auditory system of the animal to magnify low frequency sounds by about 100 times.
As a result, it can hear the sound of air flowing over the wings of an owl, or the scales of a snake moving across sand. Now, isn’t that a rare gift for an animal?