Kangaroo Rat

Kangaroos are normally available in Australia region. Kangaroo have special characteristic for the animals, have an abdominal pouch to keep their child while running, and walk with leap to step. The smallest kangaroo as little as rat, so they called as rat kangaroo, the big kangaroo have about 500 kg in weight.

Kangaroo rats are about 22 rat species of North American rodents of the genus Dipodomys, family Heteromyidae. They are found in arid areas west of the Missouri River from Canada to central Mexico. Kangaroo rats are stocky animals with long hind legs, short front legs, and a long tail, which is tufted at the tip.

The hind legs are used for hopping In the manner of kangaroos. The small front feet are used to gather food, which is stuffed into two external, fur-lined cheek pouches, each with an opening in the skin near the side of the mouth.

The largest kangaroo rat are 20 cm (8 in) long, plus a slightly longer tail, and weigh up to 140 g (5 oz). The coat is yellowish to dark brown, with white underparts, and a white stripe on each side of the tail.

Kangaroo rats seldom or never drink, obtaining sufficient water from the breakdown of their food. Mating may occur at any time under favorable climatic conditions. Gestation is about 29 to 33 days, with usually 2 to 4 young to litter.

Opossum (Rodent)

Opossums are 65 species of marsupial mammals constituting the family Didelphidae. They are the only marsupials found outside the Australian region, and all but one species are found from Mexico south through Argentina. The only species established of Mexico is the common opossum. Didelphis marsupialis, which ranges as far north as southern Canada. The common opossum grows to about 53 cm (21 in) long, plus a hairless 33 cm (13 in) tail; it stand to about 18 cm (7 in) high at the shoulder and weight up to 6.3 kg (14 lb). The opossum's coat is coarse and commonly grey, with white guard hairs; the snout is white, and the tail is black for about half of its length or less. There are five toes on each foot, and the long pointed muzzle contains 50 feet and can be opened beyond 90^o. Opossum are most active at night.

The large common opossum uses its prehensile tail as an anchor while climbing. It hangs upside down by its tail only briefly before it drops to the ground.

Nutria (Rodentia)

The nutria, Myocastor coypus, is an aquatic rodent and the only living species in the family Myocastoridae. It is also frequently classified in the family Capromyde, along with the large, heavy bodied rodents of the West Indies known as hutlas. The Nutria was formely often called a coypu and its fur sold as nutria (the Spanish word for "Otter"), but the latter name has now come into wide usage for both the animal and its fur. Nutrient resembles miniature beavers, but they have a rounded, tapered tail, and weight more than 9 kg (20 lb). Their plush, dark grey fur are marked by reddish brown guard hairs. The hind feet are webbed. Native to central and southern South America, nutrias have introduced into the United States and Europe, where they cause damage to crops and irrigation ditches.