The Baller Rat That Kicks Rattlesnakes in the Face

The Baller Rat That Kicks Rattlesnakes in the Face

This small animal might seem like a run-of-the-mill rodent at first, but its huge back legs can produce kicks hard enough to let it rumble with rattlesnakes looking for a meal.

You may not think much of the desert kangaroo rat. This small animal with its large back legs might seem like a run of the mill rodent at first. But don’t let its modest appearance fool you. Kangaroo rats are mighty beasts that don’t think twice about kicking deadly rattlesnakes in the face. The kangaroo rat lives a simple life. By day, it builds burrows in the sand. By night, it forages for seeds to store in those burrows. And when it does, it has to avoid predators. Lots of predators. The rat’s flesh is sought by coyotes, foxes,hawks, owls and snakes, including the sidewinder rattlesnake. You know, the one that does the crazy danceacross sand? 

Yeah, that guy. And they’re especially hard to avoid. That’s because they’re ambush predators that lay in wait at the best seed spots. They have thermal vision, sharp fangs, a potentvenom, and can deliver a strike in a tenth of a second!

 Luckily, desert kangaroo rats have evolved special countermeasures. This kind of arms race, when two closely interacting species influence how the other evolves, is called coevolution. 

 Take the snakes thermal vision, for example. To get around that, a kangaroo rat can drop its surface body temperature, especially around the feet and ears, and make itself less noticeable. It may also drum one or both of its feet,letting the snake know that it’s ambush is ruined. And if that’s not enough to deter the snake, the desert kangaroo rat still has tricks upits sleeve...or..well...pants? It’s most valuable assets are its huge backlegs which can propel the 10-centimeter rat upto 3 meters away! 

 

Kangaroo rats have disproportionately largemuscles, tendons and bones, which they need to generate and withstandthe forces of their jumps because unlike their larger namesake, their big tendons and muscles don’t actlike springs. Jumps are made with pure muscular power. That means more stress to the leg bones and muscles, but the rat doesn’t have to get in a particular position to leap. And that allows it to react quickly. An alert kangaroo rat can react in as littleas 8 milliseconds, and leap its whole body away in about 50 roughly one-half the time it takes for thesnake to lash out. And it doesn’t even need to see the snakecoming. Kangaroo rats have specially modified innerears, which allow them to hear when a strike happensin complete darkness. They can also use those legs to kick sandat the snake’s face, or just kick the snake outright. 

A powerful blow can stun the would-be predator, allowing the rat to make its escape. And whether kicking or jumping, the rats havea huge advantage. When scientists have watched these battlesplay out in the wild, only 1 in 23 strikes results in a win forthe snake. Of course, the sidewinders haven’t completelylost this evolutionary arms race. Scientists think they can detect the rats’change in temperature, for example. If they realize the element of surprise is gone, they can save their energy for a more unsuspectingmeal. But, at least for now, the kangaroo rats seemhave a jump on things. 

Thanks for reading this post of sciencefacthow! 

If you are impressed by these feisty rats, you might like our post on boss invertebrates that take out vertebrates. And if you want to make sure you see all ourawesome animal post, be sure to click that subscribe button!