Kangaroo mouse

There are two species of kangaroo mouse (genus Microdipodops) native to the Great Basin Desert of the western United States, predominantly found in the state of Nevada. The name "kangaroo mouse" alludes to the species' extraordinary jumping ability, similar to the much larger-bodied kangaroos. The two species are: Dark kangaroo mouse – Microdipodops megacephalus Pale kangaroo mouse – Microdipodops pallidus Both species of kangaroo mouse live in sandy desert ecosystems, and forage for seeds and vegetation amongst the scrub brush of their native habitat. The dark kangaroo mouse is also known to feed occasionally on insects and carrion. The mice rarely drink water, instead deriving it metabolically from the food they eat. The kangaroo mouse collects food and maintains large caches in their burrows, which are excavated to a length of between 3 and 8 ft (0.91 and 2.44 m). The burrow, the entrance to which the mouse covers during daylight hours, is also used to raise litters of between 2 and 7 young The pale kangaroo mouse burrows only in fine sand, while the dark kangaroo mouse prefers fine, gravelly soils but may also burrow in sand or sandy soil. Kangaroo mice are nocturnal, and are most active in the two hours following sunset. They are believed to hibernate during cold weather. Although data suggests populations of both pale and dark kangaroo mice are similarly sized, there is still some concern for the survival of smaller and more vulnerable Microdipodops subpopulations due to impending habitat threats in the Great Basin Desert. The kangaroo mice are closely related to the kangaroo rats, which belong to the same subfamily, Dipodomyinae.