Illustration of kangaroo rat
kangaroo rat
noun
: any of a genus (Dipodomys) of nocturnal burrowing rodents of arid parts of western North America that travel by hopping on their long hind legs and have a long tail and fur-lined cheek pouches
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The depths would have provided refuge for some soil-dwelling invertebrates, and, for the most part, burrowing small mammals like mice and kangaroo rats should have been able to descend deep enough to avoid the heat.
—
Anton Sorokin, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Feb. 2025
Analyzing the livers of small birds and mammals revealed staggering amounts of forever chemicals, including a concentration 120,000 nanograms per gram in the liver of a Merriam’s kangaroo rat.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 30 Jan. 2025
Climate & Environment Chuckwalla National Monument would protect swath of California desert and preserve a sacred land
April 28, 2024
Besides its namesake, the Chuckwalla lizard, the area is home to bighorn sheep, desert tortoises, kangaroo rats, burrowing owls and jackrabbits.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2025
Yucca moth caterpillars, kangaroo rats and ground squirrels eat their seeds.
—Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 28 Nov. 2024
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Anton Sorokin, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Feb. 2025
Analyzing the livers of small birds and mammals revealed staggering amounts of forever chemicals, including a concentration 120,000 nanograms per gram in the liver of a Merriam’s kangaroo rat.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 30 Jan. 2025
Climate & Environment Chuckwalla National Monument would protect swath of California desert and preserve a sacred land
April 28, 2024
Besides its namesake, the Chuckwalla lizard, the area is home to bighorn sheep, desert tortoises, kangaroo rats, burrowing owls and jackrabbits.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2025
Yucca moth caterpillars, kangaroo rats and ground squirrels eat their seeds.
—Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 28 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for kangaroo rat
Cite this Entry
“Kangaroo rat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kangaroo%20rat. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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