Dipodomys compactus
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
The Gulf Coast kangaroo rat (Dipodomys compactus) is a species of rodent in the family Heteromyidae found in Mexico and the state of Texas in the United States. Its appearance and ecology are very similar to those of its putative sister species, Ord's kangaroo rat.
Adult Gulf Coast kangaroo rats are about 220 mm (8.7 in) long including a tail of about 120 mm (4.7 in). There are two distinct color forms, an ashy gray and a reddish- or yellowish-buff. In both cases the purest color is on the sides and flanks with hairs in the dorsal region having dark tips giving a blackish sheen. The cheeks are white and the ears and upper and lower tail stripes are brown. This species is generally paler in color than other kangaroo rats and can be distinguished from the Ord's kangaroo rat by its shorter, uncrested tail and its shorter, coarser fur.
The Gulf Coast kangaroo rat is found in southeastern Texas, southwards from Bexar and Gonzales counties, and in Zapata County, in Mustang Island and Padre Island, just off the coast of Texas, and in the barrier islands off the state of Tamaulipas in Mexico.
The Gulf Coast kangaroo rat is mainly nocturnal... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Padre Island National Seashore | 🇺🇸 United States |
More parks will be added in future updates.
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Gulf Coast Kangaroo Rat sighting in Padre Island National Seashore on a given day, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 8th most-seen of the 8 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June–July and October
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Gulf Coast Kangaroo Rat in Padre Island National Seashore on a given day, against under 5% in May, August and November–March, the lowest months.
Between 10 pm and 1 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Gulf Coast Kangaroo Rat sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
Only Padre Island National Seashore, in our data
Padre Island National Seashore is the only park on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Gulf Coast Kangaroo Rat sightings: about 10% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
Same order: Rodentia
The closest relatives of the Gulf Coast Kangaroo Rat that you can see in Padre Island National Seashore (order Rodentia, Rodents) are Spotted Ground Squirrel (about 30%) and Texas Pocket Gopher (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Gulf Coast Kangaroo Rat is recorded against all the mammals logged in Padre Island National Seashore (8 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
