The kangaroo rats of southern Saskatchewan and Alberta are disappearing along with the sand dunes they call home, researcher Darren Bender says.

The Ord's kangaroo rat, as the furry rodent is more formally known, most resembles a gerbil, but with larger hind legs and a longer tail. It hops around like a tiny kangaroo.

With fewer than 1,000 kangaroo rats left, it is a prime candidate for the country's endangered species list, said Bender, a biologist with the University of Calgary.

The sand dunes the animal needs to live are threatened by human development, such as resource exploration, as well as natural erosion, he told CBC News Wednesday.

Not only is the rodent harmless, it makes an important contribution to the ecosystem, he said.

"It forms the prey base for a number of important species that we're concerned about, like the burrowing owl or the prairie rattlesnake, that [are] in decline, so it has an important role to play in the food chain," he said.
 
More study is planned to see what measures can be taken to protect the remaining kangaroo rats, he said.

Although kangaroo rats are found in other parts of the world, this population is the only one in Canada.