Texas Kangaroo Rat
Texas Kangaroo Rat
Seasonal Restriction Dates:
- N/A
Restriction Notes:
- None if maintaining existing roads.
- Cannot impact soil or native vegetation in areas where species is known to occur (likely extirpated in OK; not seen since 1969).
Photo Credit: USFWS
Identification tips from Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation:
The Texas kangaroo rat (Dipodomys elator) is a nocturnal rodent with long hind feet, long tail and external cheek pouches (Dalquest and Horner 1984, p. 118). Hind feet have four toes and its laterally white-striped, thick tail has a conspicuous white tuft of hair on the tip and is about 160 percent of the length of the body (Merriam 1894, p. 110) (Figure 2.1).
Natural Habitat:
Short-grass prairie with areas of bare ground (with loose loam or clay-loam soils for burrowing).
