Ord’s Kangaroo Rat
(Dipodomys ordii)
What do you get when you cross a mouse with a kangaroo, Thumper the rabbit, and a flying ninja? A kangaroo rat!
The Ord’s Kangaroo Rat lat lives in the deserts and grasslands of western North America and uses its huge back feet to jump like a kangaroo! It also uses them to thump the ground to make a loud noise when disturbed.
Except during mating, these kangaroo rats lead solitary lives. One study states that when males encounter each other in the wild they may engage in fights which involve jumping into the air and flying at each other with back feet raised to slash at their opponent!
Photo taken in South Fork State Recreation Area, Nevada, USA.