Les Bromley, age 10, of Albuquerque, N.M., for his question:

ARE THERE MANY KINDS OF KANGAROO RATS?

Kangaroo rat is the common name for any of about 24 species of rodents that are found in the Western part of the United States. They are all members of the pocket mouse family, and like other members of the family they have storage pouches on the outside of their cheeks.

The animals are given their popular name because they hop like kangaroos on their extremely long hind legs. Kangaroo rats range up to eight inches in body length and have tails that are usually longer than their bodies.

A typical California species has soft, silky fur that is two tone: a tan top, a white bottom, a black tail and a black half moon across the snout. It has a white stripe on each side of the body that extends back to the tip of the tail.

Kangaroo rats live in colonies in arid regions and burrow into the ground, from which they emerge at night to feed on seeds and vegetation.

They are capable of surviving for long periods without water, which they derive from their food.

They produce up to three litters per year, usually with two to four young in each.