DESERT WOODRAT (OR PACKRAT)

Packrat nest at the base of an old, decaying saguaro cactus

Desert woodrats (commonly termed packrats) are medium-sized rats with large ears and short tails. They usually live solitarily (one per nest) unless the female has young. They are best known for covering their underground nests with heaps of sticks and spiny cactus segments that shield the nest from intense heat and perhaps confer protection against coyotes. Each nest has several entrances, enabling the animal to escape from predatory snakes.

Packrat nest covered with cholla cactus segments

Fossil packrat middens dating from as long as 28,000 years ago can be used to analyse the changes in vegetational history of the present-day deserts. You can find more on this by clicking here (not on this server)

Back to Mammal gallery