Kangaroo rat mid-air maneuver via tail rotation

High speed recording of a desert kangaroo rat (Dipodomys deserti) avoiding the strike of a sidewinder rattlesnake (Crotalus cerastes). The animals are free-ranging in their natural desert habitat at night, and filmed with high speed cameras using near-IR lights invisible to both species. The video is recorded at 500 frames per second, and playback is slowed down about 30 times. This clip shows the ability of kangaroo rats to reorient themselves mid-leap using tail rotation, ensuring that they land on their