Tag: desert

Posted in Science & Nature

Grasshopper Mouse

Posted on by Jinavie

Grasshopper mice are a species of New World mice found in deserts throughout North America. They are small-to-medium sized, growing up to 13cm in size and weighing around 40-50g.

Despite their cute appearances, they are carnivorous, ferocious hunters. They feast on various insects, but are also known to hunt other mice.

Grasshopper mice have interesting adaptations that make them seem more like a miniature wolf or mongoose rather than a mouse. For example, they stalk their prey like a cat before pouncing. They hunt highly venomous insects such as scorpions and centipedes because they have evolved to convert the deadly toxins of a scorpion sting into harmless chemicals.

An interesting feature of the grasshopper mouse is that they often howl like a wolf to ward off competitors and to communicate with each other. It has been nicknamed the werewolf mouse because they are known to howl in the night with their heads thrown back, communicating over the vast desert with a high-pitched howl.

Posted in Science & Nature

Bamboo

Posted on by Jinavie

There is a bamboo forest on a desert island. How can you use these?

  • If you cut a section of bamboo so that one side is open, one side is closed, it becomes a cup.
  • If you cut a section of bamboo and split it lengthwise, it becomes a dish.
  • If you cut a section of bamboo and cut a wide hole in the side, it becomes a pot.
  • If you cut a section of bamboo and fit a large rock on one end, it becomes a hammer.
  • If you cut a branch of bamboo and craft it, it can be a spoon, fork or chopsticks.
  • If you take a stick of bamboo and tie a string and hook at the end, it becomes a fishing rod.
  • If you take a stick of bamboo and sharpen the end, it becomes a spear.
  • If you take many large bamboo and tie them together, you can make a house, a bed or a raft to escape in.

The most important rule of survival is application.

As an addendum, bamboo is a grass (the largest in the world), not a tree.
This is because its stalk has become hardened yet still hollow, making it look like a tree. However, it has segments, shallow roots and dies after flowering (which can take decades) that are features of grass.

Posted in Science & Nature

Kangaroo Rat

Posted on by Jinavie

Kangaroo rats are a type of rodent found in North American deserts. They are known for their extremely long and strong hind legs which they can use to hop great heights (up to nine feet), just like a kangaroo. But the most interesting feature of the kangaroo rat is its kidneys.
This tiny animal is known to be so efficient in using its water that it literally never has to drink water. By having extremely efficient kidneys, kangaroo rats gain sufficient water from metabolism, as water is made from oxidation of food naturally. This gives them a strong advantage in such a dry habitat.

Kangaroo rats have many more adaptations that aide their survival in their desert environment. They exhibit food-hoarding behaviour and can be often seen with their cheek pouches full of grains. As there is no pools of water, they roll in the sand to have sand baths like some birds. Being rodents, they are social and live in underground community tunnels to avoid the heat during the day.

When in danger, kangaroo rats hop on the spot and stamp their feet on the ground to send signals to nearby friends using the vibrations. Amazingly, they have been observed to even fight snakes in times of need, using sand to their advantage. By leaping back with their strong hind legs, kangaroo rats are capable of spraying sand at their enemy, irritating them and sometimes even damaging them. Furthermore, they show exemplary teamwork by attacking a predator together, biting and leaping back to continuously inflict damage. Because their legs are so well-developed, they are able to jump away from harm even if it is a snake striking at rapid speed.

Such adaptations in anatomy, physiology and behaviour allow the kangaroo rat to survive in an environment that can swiftly kill even a person.