Stephen's Woodrat (IMAGE)
Caption
This is a Stephen's woodrat surrounded by its favorite food: toxic juniper. This rat species has evolved liver enzymes to get rid of the toxins. Another species, the white-throated woodrat, normally eats several different kinds of plants to avoid getting too much poison from any one plant. A new University of Utah study found that when the white-throated woodrat is given meals abnormally high in juniper, it avoids poisoning by putting itself on a diet -- eating fewer meals, drinking more water, and waiting a longer time between meals.
Credit
Denise Dearing, University of Utah
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