Kangaroo rats occur exclusively in arid environments of western North America, where they often function as ecosystem engineers and keystone species.

These rodents can exist on a diet of seeds without drinking free water.

Kangaroo rats evade attacks from their primary predators, owls and snakes, using split-second gymnastic-like maneuvers.

Kangaroo rat activities, such as digging, altering soil seed banks, and storing seeds in surface caches, account for their keystone species status.

Although some kangaroo rat species are common over large geographic areas, others have limited ranges, and some are endangered. Climate change will only make their future conservation more challenging.