Have You Seen This Unique Creature In Palo Duro Canyon?

Palo Duro Canyon is one of the most unique places in the Texas Panhandle. It's also the second-largest canyon behind only the famed Grand Canyon.

Because of that, you're bound to find some things that are unique and native to the area. There is something there that is only found in three counties in the entire world, with the majority living in Palo Duro Canyon.

What Is The Palo Duro Mouse

Found predominantly in Palo Duro Canyon, the Palo Duro Mouse is about eight inches long, but is built very uniquely. Four inches of it is body, the other four inches of it is tail.

They are typically a cinnamon color on their upper body with white underparts and feet. They also have large ears, which are approximately 3/4 of an inch. They are considered a threatened species in Texas.

How Does The Palo Duro Mouse Act And Live

These creatures tend to be very secretive, so they aren't seen very often. They tend to burrow themselves underground or inside crevices of rocks, which are plentiful in Palo Duro Canyon.

They emerge primarily at night and tend to feed on the seeds of prickly pear cactus, mesquite, and juniper.

What Is The Most Unique Thing About The Palo Duro Mouse

The most unique thing is how they've adapted to live on the steep and rocky canyon walls, even with the lack of juniper trees and minimal grass.

By living in this type of terrain, they tend to stay protected from predators such as coyotes, hawks, and more that tend to prey on smaller rodents.

Read More: Here Is The Underwhelming Meaning Behind The Words Palo Duro

Where In The Texas Panhandle Are They Commonly Found

According to the Texas Parks & Wildlife, they primarily live in Palo Duro Canyon as well as Caprock Canyon State Parks.

As mentioned earlier, there are only three counties in the world where you will find them, and those counties are Randall, Armstrong, and Briscoe. Outside of that, you more than likely won't see them.