Mammals

Species ID

Black Tailed Jackrabbit

Scientific Name- Lepus californicus

Kingdom- Animalia

Phylum- Chordata

Class- Mammalia

Order- Lagomorpha

Family- Leporidae

Genus- Lepus

Species- Lepus californicus

The Black Tailed Jackrabbit is located

throughout the southwestern United States

and parts of Mexico, mostly in desert and sage brush habitats. The diet of the Black Tailed Jackrabbit consists of cacti, sagebrush,

grasses, clover and other plants. Black-Tailed Jackrabbits do not dig burrows to dwell in.

Rather, they prefer to sleep above ground to be able to hear predators that may be near.

Kangaroo Desert Rat

Scientific Name- Dipodomys deserti

Kingdom- Animalia

Phylum- Chordata

Class- Mammalia

Order- Rodentia

Family- Heteromyidae

Subfamily- Dipodomyinae

Genus- Dipodomys

Species- Dipodomys deserti

The Kangaroo Rat is found in North America. Kangaroo Rats feed mostly on grass seeds, but will also eat leaves, stems and sometimes fruit if available. They have pouches on the sides of their mouths that can be used for carrying food. They tend to live in arid, open areas, and only go out at night when the temperatures are cooler.

Meerkat

Scientific Name- Suricata suricatta

Kingdom- Animalia

Phylum- Chordata

Class- Mammalia

Order- Carnivora

Family- Herpestidae

Genus- Suricata

Species- suricatta

The Meerkat is the only member of the Suricata genus. Meerkats are small African carnivores that live in the desert. They live in very large underground communes that they burrow. They are typically thought of as rodents, but they are closer related to weasels