Madagascian Jumping Rat

Madagascian jumping rat is a large kangaroo rat-like species of rodent native to Madagascar. They range from the size of a mouse to the size of a beaver, making them the largest native rodents of Madagascar. They are mainly prey animals to most predators, but they are also scavengers and predators to insects and other smaller animals. They are named because of their jumping abilities. They are found almost verywhere across Madagascar, being able to survive well in many different habitats, and are also able to tolerate human activities and can thrive well in human settlements. Despite their appearances, these rodents are not related to American kangaroo rats, they are actually very closer related to the Gambian pouched rats, a species of rodent native to Africa.

Popularity and myths
Due to their hopping abilities and intelligence, they are frequently featured in many popular media such as All Hail King Julien, where they are portrayed as dim-witted species. Depsite myths, these rodents are actually very intelligent, almost as smart as (not a rodent, but a) carnivore, Raccoon.