95% of People Can't Identify All of These Rodents from an Image. Can You?

By: Khadija L.
Image: Art Wolfe / Stockbyte / Getty Images /// By U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (http://mountain-prairie.fws.gov/preble/), via Wikimedia Commons /// Picture by Tambako the Jaguar / Moment / Getty Images /// Stephen O'Byrne / Moment/ Getty Images

About This Quiz

Rodents are a type of mammals which belong to the Rodentia order and can be found on every single continent on earth except Antarctica. They are the most diversified order and can be found living in a variety of habitats but are particularly known for being in human-made environments. Over the years, they have been given a bad name as animals which spread disease, and while there are some of them do, the majority of them do not.

Rodents are characterized by having a single pair of continuously growing incisors in both their lower and upper jaw, which they use to burrow, gnaw their food and defend themselves from predators. Most of them are quite small in size with short limbs, long tails, and robust bodies. Some of the most well-known rodents include mice, rats, chipmunks, porcupines, squirrels, prairie dogs, hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils and capybaras. 

How well do you know the rodents can be found all around us, some of them in the areas where we live? Well in this quiz, you will be given images of these furry little critters and it is your job to identify them. How many will you get right, because 95% of people can't? Take this quiz to find out!

Porcupines are rodents which are divided into Old World and New World. Porcupines can be found all in Asia and Africa and the Americas respectively. They are known for having a coat of sharp quills which they use to protect themselves from predators.

Lemmings are small rodents which can be found living in and around the frigid Arctic regions. Measuring between 5 and 7 inches and weighing no more than 34 grams, these animals are able to burrow through snow using their front claws to dig.

Hamsters are small rodents which have become extremely popular as household pets. In the wild, they are known for staying underground during the day in order to avoid predators and come out at night to feed on vegetation and insects.

Guinea pigs, also known as the domestic cavy, are a species of rodents which originated in the Andes in South America. They are frequently used as model organisms in different experiments, one of the reasons why the term “guinea pig” is used to refer to test subjects.

Groundhogs, also known as woodchucks, are rodents which can be found throughout North America. These diurnal animals are well-adapted for digging, as they use burrows for sleeping, hibernating and rearing their young.

Chinchillas consist of 2 species of rodents which are native to the Andes mountains in South America but have been found in parts of Peru, Bolivia, Argentina ​and Chile. For years, their fur has been used to create coats and because of that, one of the species is facing extinction, while the other is rare.

Beavers are large semiaquatic rodents which are best known for building dams, lodges and canals in different bodies of water. They are the second largest rodents in the world as some adults can weigh over 55 pounds. Over the years, their populations have been decreasing as a result of being hunted for fur.

The white-footed mouse, sometimes called the woodmouse, is a type of rodent which is native to different regions of North America. These small animals have an average life expectancy of about 4 years, and those found in the northernmost areas are expected to live between 12 and 24 months.

The crested rat, sometimes called the maned rat, is a nocturnal bushy-tailed rodent which can be found in regions of East Africa. When these animals are either scared or excited, they expose their glandular area which is usually coated with the poison from a local tree bark which is able to kill or sicken predators.

Gophers, sometimes called pocket gophers, are burrowing rodents which are endemic to North and Central America. They are known for creating a network of tunnels as a means of storing large amounts of food and as a place of protection.

Chipmunks, sometimes called striped squirrels, are small striped rodents which can be found in North America and parts of Asia. They are known for storing food in small caches which they use their large cheek pouches to carry.

Muskrats are medium-sized semi-aquatic rodents which are native to the wetlands of North America and which have been introduced to other parts of the world. They are covered in a short two-layered fur coat which ranges from medium to dark brown and black which helps to protect them from cold water.

Chickarees,​ sometimes called pine squirrel or Douglas’ squirrel, are a type of pine squirrel which can be found in the Pacific coastal states and southwestern coasts of Canada. They are known for having a characteristic call which they use to warn each other about predators

Agoutis are a species of small rodents which are native to the forests of North and South America, as well as the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean. The species vary in color and are covered with coarse hair which is​ known to raise when they are alarmed.

Gerbils are small mammals which come​ from a subfamily that includes 110 other species of rodents. They are social animals which are known to live in groups and rely on their sense of smell to identify members of their groups.

Voles, sometimes called meadow mice, are small rodents which are closely related to the mouse, but their bodies are shorter, stouter and they have a hairy tail. They only grow to a maximum of 9 inches and they are often the prey of larger animals including raccoons, falcons, ​and owls.

Capybaras are mammals which also happen to be the largest living rodents in the world, growing to 4 feet and weighing up to 146 pounds. Found only in the savannas and dense forests in​ South America, they can be found living in groups of 10-20 individuals

Pacas are herbivorous rodents which can be found in Central and South America. These ground-dwelling animals are known for their dot and stripe patterns on their bodies. These animals are great swimmers which are known to dive and stay submerged for up to 15 minutes.

Prairie dogs are herbivorous rodents which are native to the grasslands of North America. There are 5 species, each of which has stout bodies and weighs between 1 and 3 lbs. They are also known for burrowing underground and for their warning calls when predators approach.

The naked mole-rat, sometimes​ called the sand puppy, is a rodent which is native to regions of East Africa. The burrowing rodent is known for having poor visual acuity and for their ability to regulate their body temperature based on their locations.

Zokors are rodents which resemble mole-rats but are found in parts of China, Russia and Kazakhstan. In some parts of China, their bones are used in traditional medicine as an alternative to those from a tiger.

Flying squirrels include over 50 species of squirrels and can be found all over the world. Despite their name, these small rodents are not capable of flight, but they can glide from tree to tree with the use of their patagium (parachute-like membrane).

Jerboas are a species of rodent which are found throughout desert regions of Northern Africa and Asia. They have long legs which they use to hop and run at speeds of 15 mph. They have extrem​ely large ears, their hearing is excellent and it helps them to avoid predators.

​Kiore, sometimes referred to as the Polynesian or Pacific rat, is the third most widespread species of rats which originated in South East Asia. In many places where it is found, it has become a major pest, especially in the islands.

Marmots are large squirrels which can be found living in mountainous areas from the Alps, all the way to northwestern Asia and India. They can be found living in burrows within rock piles where they hibernate through the winter.

Viscachas are rodents which belong to the Chinchillidae family but are often mistaken for rabbits. They are native to regions of South America where they live in colonial warrens (burrows) of 10 to 100 and are often viewed as pests by the locals.

A packrat, sometimes called a woodrat, is a species of rodent which has long tails, large ears, and large black eyes. They can be found in the deserts of northern Mexico and the western United States where they build complex dens in caves and rock crevices.

Kangaroo rats are small rodents which can be found in the western regions of North America. They were named after the kangaroo because they are able to hop in a manner very similar to the larger animals.

The Patagonian mara is a medium-sized herbivorous rodent which can be found in different habitats in Argentina and Patagonia where they live in breeding pairs consisting of up 29 others. The mara is said to resemble a jackrabbit due to its distinctive long limbs and ears.

The coypu, sometimes called the nutria, is a large semiaquatic rodent which is native to temperate and sub-tropical regions of South America. They can be found living in burrows near stretches of water close to river plant stems.

A tuco-tuco is a rodent which can be found in South America from Peru to Brazil. They were so named because it is said to resemble the sound that they make when digging their burrows. They have very loose skin which helps them to slide through tunnels.

The springhaas,​ sometimes called the South African springhare, is a rodent which is native to regions of southern Africa. It is said to resemble a small kangaroo because of its well-developed hind legs and because of its ability to leap over 6 feet in a single bound.

Murids are a large family of rodents which consists of over 700 species, which can be found in Africa, Australia and Eurasia. They all have excellent senses of hearing and smile while some species are extremely social while others prefer to remain in solitude.

The dormouse is a rodent which can be found in Europe and other species in parts of Africa and Asia. These nocturnal animals are known for their excellent sense of hearing, climbing and for being able to hibernate for very long periods of time.

The rock pocket mouse is one of about 20 species of pocket mice which can be found in the rocky deserts of the United States and Mexico. These nocturnal animals grow to lengths of about 18 centimeters and are known for making small burrows in the soil when predators approach.

The African spiny mouse is a species of mice which originated in the African deserts where they were kept as pets. These small mammals are so called because their coats are endowed with very stiff hairs which are said to be similar to that of a hedgehog. They are also the only mammals who are capable of automatic tissue regeneration.

Acouchis are rodents are found in the Amazon basin around Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Guyana, Brazil, Surinam and Venezuela. They are often mistaken for agoutis, but differ in the fact that they have tails which they use to help convey their willingness to mate.

The marsh rice rat is a semi-aquatic rodent which can be found in wetland habitats in North America. These nocturnal animals are known for being the host of many different parasites including the hantavirus.

The meadow jumping mouse is a small mouse, ranging in length from 180 mm to 240 mm which can be found from the Atlantic coast of the United States to the south near New Mexico. The endangered animal is often mistaken for a kangaroo rat because it is also able to jump between 6 and 8 feet.

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