Question

Mammal which never drinks water is:
(a)Kangaroo
(b)Shrew
(c)Kangaroo/Desert rat
(d)Hedgehog

Answer 1

Hint: Animals that have adapted themselves to live in the desert are called Xerocoles.These animals have adaptations that help them in dealing with conditions such as less water availability and high temperatures. The adaptations are necessary for their survival in these unfavorable conditions.

Complete solution:
A Kangaroo rat also called desert rat is a Xerocole. It is perfectly adapted to life in the desert. It can survive without drinking water ever. It obtains the needed moisture from the seeds that it feeds on.
The seeds that these Kangaroo rats feed on are varieties of desert grass seeds as well as mesquite beans. Sometimes it also feeds on grasses and insects.
The life span of a kangaroo rat is not very long, just 2- 5 years.
Kangaroo rats do not sweat or pant like other animals to prevent the loss of much-needed water from their bodies.

Additional information:
Xerocoles have different mechanisms to reduce the loss of water via evaporation.
-Camels can survive high temperatures without sweating.
-Sweat glands are completely absent in kangaroo rats.
-Amphibious xerocoles such as frogs belonging to the genus Phyllomedusa have a waxy coating on their skin to reduce water loss.
-Some animals excrete concentrated urine to minimize loss of water.
-Kangaroo rats release dry feces which reduces the loss of water from the body as the water is reabsorbed in the gut.

So, the correct answer is ‘Kangaroo/Desert rat’.

Note: There are some animals that can survive without water for years but the kangaroo/desert rat is the only animal that can survive without water throughout their life.