At the base of the dunes, this kangaroo rat is just beginning his day. This nocturnal rodent hops like a kangaroo and has the appearance of a rat, but he is neither.
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TRANSCRIPT
(crickets chirping) - [Narrator] And here at the base of the dunes, one tiny creature is just beginning his day.
It's a kangaroo rat, Timid by nature, this nocturnal rodent hops like a kangaroo and has the appearance of a rat, but he is neither.
He is, however, uniquely adapted to desert life.
And this young kangaroo rat is hunting for seeds blowing across the sand.
He's not eating the seeds, but rather storing them in his cheek pouches and bringing them back to his burrow for safekeeping.
It's a complex burrow system with separate chambers for sleeping and others for storing food.
And this underground home is his castle, which he'll vigorously defend from any intruder.
Our young kangaroo rat is back on the hunt for seed.
But his search takes him farther and farther from his home.
And while he's away, his curious neighbor, drawn by the smell of seeds, infiltrates his burrow.
Our young kangaroo rat finally returns from his foray.
He doesn't know it yet, but his neighbor is already inside.
He springs into action... chasing the intruder out of his burrow and into the night.
It's the end of a long night for our kangaroo rat, but now he's safely tucked away inside his home.
