This cute little creature is a miracle.
It's called:
The Kangaroo rat!
- Similar to the kangaroo due to the length of its hind legs and its long leaps.
- Their legs can reach 2.7 meters despite their small size, as their body length is about 15 cm and its tail length is about 20 cm.
And Here's where its gets mind-boggling:
- · This small rat, which lives in the deserts of North America, can live its entire life without drinking water!! Yes!!!! You read that right!
This does not mean it does not rely on water - for water is life: But it obtains and conserves water in another way.
- · It feeds mainly on seeds, on which it can perform (metabolic oxidation) to extract water from within its body.
- When digesting carbohydrates and fats, its body produces metabolic water. Through these internal chemical reactions, it does not need to drink water!
- · It is a nocturnal creature to avoid the intense heat and humidity of the day.
- It also reduces its metabolic rate to minimize water loss through the skin and respiratory system!!
- · Furthermore, the Kangaroo rat's urine is highly concentrated to the point of being extremely dry in consistency (like a semi-crystalline substance), and its feces are also very dry to minimize water loss to the greatest extent.
- · Since it produces such urine, it is distinguished by a unique kidney structure that works to concentrate urine to a very high degree with little water.
· This small creature possesses many other things God has bestowed upon it, which, if we were to talk about, would take a long time. We can only mention them briefly and hastily, such as:
· Cheek pouches in which they store seeds!!
The Kangaroo rat buries its nose in its fur to reduce moisture loss through respiration during sleep!! This creates a small pocket of humid air!!
· Their burrows also feature a large system (for sleeping, nesting, and storing seeds) and are in groups ranging from six to several hundred underground, with a specific layout that aligns with their nocturnal lifestyle.
We are awed by the creativity of the Creator, the Almighty, in His creatures, and how He gave each creature the form, organs, and composition that suit its environment, functions, and conditions, then guided it to use them.
Allah The Almighty says: ﴾He (moses) said, "Our Lord is He who gave each thing its form and then guided [it]."﴿" (Surah Taha, 20:50)
Tafsir (Explanation) of Al Saadi:
Moses responded with a clear and sufficient answer, saying: {Our Lord is He Who gave each thing its form and then guided [it]}—meaning: Our Lord is He Who created all creatures and gave each creature its appropriate form, which demonstrates the excellence of His creation, from the size of its body to its size and all its attributes. {Then He guided} each creature to what He created it for. This general guidance is evident in all creatures, for every creature strives for the benefits it was created for and seeks to ward off harm. Even animals, God Almighty, have given them the intellect to do so.