Kangaroo rats. They have many predators. Owl, fox, bobcat, etc. Even your pet dog or cat may want a taste of this little thing. Even if they do escape the predators, they have life span of 2 to 5 years. Kangaroo rats have a short life. Also they have small pouches on their cheeks. The pouches aren't for the babies. The babies are walking. The pouches are for carrying seeds.