Table of Contents

Rodents

Mountain beaver

The mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa) is a species of rodent, the only living representative of the gopher family. It is also not a beaver. It is considered to be the most primitive representative of the order Rodents. Since it has problems with maintaining both body heat and humidity, it goes into hibernation in winter and goes into numbness in the heat of summer. It is found in North America. 1)

56 species

There are 56 known species of rats in the world. 2)

African linsang

African linsang inhabits the canopy of humid tropical forests, where it builds nests at least two meters above the ground where it can rest during the day. After a few days, it leaves the nest, building another one elsewhere. It eats insects, birds, and also hunts rodents and reptiles. It is in danger of extinction. 3)

African Spiny Mice

African Spiny Mice (Acomys) are characterized by having long, stiff hairs in their normal fur, resembling the spines of, for example, a hedgehog. Rodents of the genus Acomys exhibit a capacity for autotomy unparalleled in other mammals. In many species, the engorged tail can be easily detached or skinned. Two species exhibit an even g complex defense system: when threatened, these rodents are able to discard parts of their skin. The animal's complete skin, including glands and hair follicles, grows back at a rapid rate. 4)

Hutia

Hutia is a genus of rodents in the hutia family, including species found in Cuba. The genus includes two species: Archipelago Hutia and Cuban Hutia. 5)

Patagonian Mara

The Patagonian Mara is the largest species of jackdaws and the third largest rodent species. 6)

No rats in the Bible

Rats do not appear in the Bible. Hardly anyone has ever paid attention to this, so in many adaptations of the biblical story, we can see references to rats. Nothing more misleading, than in those days in this area of the world people, didn't yet know what these animals were because they never saw them. Even more interesting, the inhabitants of both the Americas had their first contact with rats only around 1750 AD. 7)

2000 species

Rodents are the most numerous order of mammals in terms of the number of species and individuals living on the globe. It numbers about 2000 species. 8)

Confused with rodent

Rabbits are often confused with rodents. Originally, even Charles Linnaeus classified them in this order. 9)

Soft fur of chinchillas

Chinchillas have very soft and dense fur. About 70 hairs grow from a single hair follicle. 10)

Naked mole rats

The longest-lived rodents in the world are naked mole rats. These animals live up to 30 years. They are the subject of constant scientific research because of their cancer resistance and longevity. Scientific research has proven that these rodents have an additional mechanism for detecting cancer cells. This is made possible by the immune system. No other animals have such abilities. 11)

Diving capybaras

The hair covering the capybaras is rare, and its skin can easily get sunburned by prolonged exposure to the sun. Fortunately, capybaras can dive and stay underwater for up to five minutes, often falling asleep while keeping their noses on the water's surface. Diving along rivers, mangrove forests, and swamps helps them to stay cool and safe from sunburn. 12)

Flying squirrels

Flying squirrels are capable of gliding flight. 13)

Gambian Giant Pouched-rat

The world's most intelligent rodent is the Gambian Giant Pouched-rat. When trained, it is used to detect mines in Africa and Cambodia. It weighs about 1 kg, so it is unable to trigger an explosion. It reacts to the smell of TNT and can pinpoint the exact location of a mine. Within half an hour it can search an area of 200m2. When it finds a mine, it signals by scratching at the ground. In addition, the Gambian Giant Pouched-rat is able to check 100 samples with TB in 20 minutes. Its breeding and training is cheaper and faster than dogs. 14)

Special digestive adaptation

Capybaras have a special digestive adaptation that allows them to absorb sufficient nutrients from their diet. A large fermentation chamber, in their gut stores and breaks down fibrous materials, mixing them with bacteria, enzymes, and gases that aid digestion. 15)

Nutria's teeth

A pair of orange incisors is possessed by the nutria, which is why it is easily recognized among rodents. 16)