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Home/Species/ Ord's Kangaroo Rat

Dipodomys ordii

Woodhouse, 1853

Ord's Kangaroo Rat

G5Secure Found in 6 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.103588
Element CodeAMAFD03010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassMammalia
OrderRodentia
FamilyHeteromyidae
GenusDipodomys
Other Common Names
Ord's kangaroo rat (EN) Rat kangourou d'Ord (FR)
Concept Reference
Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 1993. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. xviii + 1206 pp. Available online at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/msw/.
Taxonomic Comments
Does not include compactus, now recognized as a distinct species.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-04-04
Change Date1996-11-08
Range Extent Comments
Mexican Highlands, Great Plains, and Great Basin of western North America: southern Alberta and Saskatchewan (Gummer, 1995 COSEWIC report)to southern Hidalgo, west to southern Washington, Oregon, northeastern California, Arizona, and northeastern Sonora; east to southwestern North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and western Texas (Garrison and Best 1990).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Prefers sandy soil in open, sparsely vegetated areas; grasslands and shrublands (e.g. sagebrush, rabbitbrush, greasewood, ATRIPLEX) that have open bare soil; also woodland (pinyon/juniper, oak, mesquite). In underground burrows when inactive. Burrows often at the base of shrubs or grasses. Young are born in grass-lined nests in underground burrows.

Ecology

Solitary except during breeding season. Population density in Nevada was 1-5/2.7 ha; in Texas, 10-27/ha; up to 53/ha in some areas. Annual home range about 1 ha or less. May live at least 2 years. Predators include rattlesnakes, skunks, coyotes, foxes, owls, etc. With other kangaroo rats, affects vegetation structure and plant species diversity in the Chihuahuan Desert (Heske et al. 1993).

Reproduction

Reproductive patterns vary geographically; reproduction generally begins with appearance of green vegetation. Females are seasonally polyestrous. In New Mexico breeding may last from February-June; in Texas from August-February, August-March in Oklahoma; in Canada breeding occurs in spring. Gestation is 28-32 days. Average litter size is 3, varies with conditions. Sexual mature in about 83 days. In Oklahoma, many produce 2 litters per year in favorable years, and females born early in season produce a litter before end of same season (Caire et al. 1989). Drought may inhibit reproduction.
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - ConiferShrubland/chaparralGrassland/herbaceousDesert
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
KansasS5Yes
Navajo NationS5Yes
NevadaS5Yes
IdahoS4Yes
WashingtonS4Yes
ArizonaS5Yes
CaliforniaSNRYes
OregonS4Yes
WyomingS5Yes
North DakotaS4Yes
NebraskaS5Yes
TexasS4Yes
UtahS5Yes
New MexicoS5Yes
OklahomaSNRYes
South DakotaS5Yes
MontanaS5Yes
ColoradoS5Yes
CanadaN2
ProvinceRankNative
AlbertaS1Yes
SaskatchewanS2Yes
Roadless Areas (6)
Idaho (1)
AreaForestAcres
Lemhi RangeSalmon-Challis National Forest308,533
Nevada (2)
AreaForestAcres
South SchellHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest125,614
West SchellHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest21,656
New Mexico (2)
AreaForestAcres
Gila BoxGila National Forest23,759
Peloncillo (NM)Coronado National Forest43,339
Utah (1)
AreaForestAcres
Stansbury MountainsWasatch-Cache National Forest39,696
References (37)
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