Water is essential for the survival of all living beings. It also plays a vital role in maintaining the planet’s ecosystem. Yet, though it seems unbelievable, there is a living being that doesn’t need water to stay alive. Rather it dies once it drinks even a drop of water. Do you know which animal dies after drinking water?
The answer
The answer to this question is ‘Kangaroo rat’. Found in North America’s arid deserts these rodents can live their entire lives without drinking a single drop of water.
Kangaroo rat
These creatures are tiny in size and weigh between 70 and 170 grams. Their colour varies from light brown to dark grey which they use to camouflage themselves from predators.
According to scientists, these are the only animals that can survive without water. This is because they do not need any water for their digestive system.
How they survive without water
The mechanism behind why Kangaroo rats survive without water is that — they have extremely effective kidneys that allow them to extract enough water from their food. Their diet mainly consists of seeds. They can also extract water from fat which is stored in their tails.
Why do they die after drinking water?
The reason why they die after drinking water is that the necessary bodily fluids and vitamins get flushed out of their bodies when they do so. This results in dehydration which ultimately leads to death.
Why they are called Kangaroo rats
The reason why they are named Kangaroo rats is because they have hind legs that are similar to kangaroos and allow them to jump up to seven feet.
We might think that we know everything about nature, but nature proves us wrong by surprising us with unique creatures like the Kangaroo rat.
