Before reading the article:

Watch this short video about the thirteen-lined ground squirrel.

Have you ever seen one, either in real life, a museum or zoo?

What did you learn from the video, and what do you think makes this rodent different from other rodents?



Now, read the article, “In Winter, You Might Wish You Had This Rodent Superpower,” and answer the following questions:

1. What unusual physical “superpower” does the thirteen-lined ground squirrel have, according to the article, and what does it allow the rodent to do?

2. What adaptation occurs in these rodents to make them both warm and cold blooded animals?

3. What do scientists understand better now after this new research?