The Rodent OrderTwo of every five mammals on Earth are rodents, yet most people know little about this amazingly diverse order of animals. Rats and mice may be all too familiar, but what about gundis and degus? And did you know that porcupines are rodents, but rabbits are not? The Rodent Order explores the world of rodents, from prehistoric guinea pigs the size of horses to the Laotian rock rat, a "living fossil" recently found alive in the forests of Southeast Asia. The Rodent Order also examines the long relationship between people and rodents. For thousands of years, rodents have influenced human life as pests, food, pets, and carriers of disease. Today human activities are threatening the survival of some rodent species, but other rodents are flourishing-sometimes right under our noses. Book jacket. |
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Africa Asia black rats Blesmols breed bubonic plague burrows cane rats capybaras cavies caviomorphs chinchillas colonies coypu creatures Cricetidae cristata dams degus digestive dinomyids disease dormouse Europe extinct feed feet flying squirrels fossil remains fossorial genus gerbils giant gnaw grasses guinea pigs habitat hamsters hind legs house mice house mouse humans Hystrix inches incisors insects islands jerboa kangaroo rats Laotian rock rat lemmings Linnaeus living fossil marmots mice and rats migrated million years ago mongooses mountain beaver muskrats myomorph naked mole rat native nest North America Norway rats organisms pacarana Paleontologists paws pets pocket gophers pocket mice ponds prairie dogs predators pups quills rabbit rats and mice researchers rodent order rodent species scientific name Scientists call Scientists think sciuromorph small rodents sometimes called South American rodents tails taxonomy teeth trees Tuco-tucos tunnels underground voles wild wildlife young