short-tailed pouched rat

The short-tailed pouched rat is a species of African rodent belonging to the genus Saccostomus. These rodents are characterized by cheek pouches used to carry food back to their burrows for eating or storage.1

Short-tailed pouched rats are small and stout, typically weighing around 75 grams (2.6 ounces) with bodies up to 18 cm long and notably short tails. They are nocturnal and slow-moving, primarily feeding on seeds during wet seasons and insects during droughts. While they can dig their own burrows, they also utilize dens made by other animals. These rats inhabit savannas and grasslands across eastern and southern Africa, sometimes found in or near cultivated areas.1

The genus Saccostomus is part of the subfamily Cricetomyinae, which dates back three to five million years to the Pliocene Epoch.1