Kangaroo Rats Pocket Mice and Kangaroo Mice: Heteromyidae

Heteromyids are found in the western United States, southwestern Canada, Mexico, Central America, and northern South America.

Heteromyids live in deserts, dry grasslands, and, in a few cases, wet and dry tropical forests. Desert pocket mice and kangaroo rats like arid, dry, climates that contain sand, scrubs, sagebrush, grasses, and chaparral. Kangaroo mice prefer sandy habitats. In all cases, heteromyids like areas that contain many seeds.

Kangaroo rats are considered keystone species because their burrows provide habitat for a variety of plants and animals. A keystone species is a species that is important in maintaining the biodiversity, the variety of different animals and plants, of an area.