Unique Animal Facts: This animal does not drink water in its entire life. Surprised ? but it is true
In this scorching summer it is difficult to imagine any living being surviving without water, but there is one animal that does not drink water in its entire life. It is tiny kangaroo rat found in the South Western deserts of the United States of America.
Kangaroo rats play a crucial role in desert ecosystems, serving as a vital water source for predators who consume them. These rats can run very fast, covering 6 metres in one second, to avoid their enemies. They use their log tails as rudders ( broad flat piece of wood) when jumping and can even change their course in mid-air. They move by leaping with such precision that they can jump over a cactus and land directly on a grasshopper. Because of their long, powerful legs and the strong tail, which resemble those of the Kangaroo, they are called “kangaroo rats”. They grow to about 38 centimetres ( 15 inch) long, including a tale of 20 centimetres ( 8 inch) long. 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, which are enough to keep kangaroo rat alive. It lives near bushes by making holes in the ground.
The lags of a kangaroo rat are proportionately very long compared with other parts of the body. That is why, when two kangaroo rats fight, it appears that they are fighting with sticks.
