Credit: Denise Dearing, University of Utah.
A Stephen's woodrat surrounded by its favorite food: toxic juniper. This rat species has evolved liver enzymes to get rid of the toxins. Another
species, the white-throated woodrat, normally eats several different kinds of plants to avoid getting too much poison from any one plant. A new
University of Utah study found that when the white-throated woodrat is given meals abnormally high in juniper, it avoids poisoning by putting itself on a
diet -- eating fewer meals, drinking more water, and waiting a longer time between meals.