Summary
A kangaroo rat can leap straight up to dodge a striking snake -- and it hears the attack coming. Deep Look shows the powerful back legs and super-sensitive ears that make this desert escape artist so hard to catch.
Viewer safety
Ages 7+Mild peril
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Talk about it
A kangaroo rat survives with two tools: spring-loaded back legs for an instant jump, and big ears that catch the faint sound of a snake. Sensing danger and reacting fast keep it alive.
- What two things about a kangaroo rat help it escape a snake?
- How do its big ears give it an early warning?
- Why must the jump happen so fast to work?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: structure, sense, reflex, escape.
Try it: Have a partner clap without warning while you jump. Write how quick hearing plus a fast jump keeps a kangaroo rat safe.