Mole animal. Description, features, types, lifestyle and habitat of the mole

• Wild animals
• >>
• Mammals

There are a lot of animals in nature that know how to dig tunnels underground. However, the most famous digger, known since childhood, is the mole . This mammal spends most of its life underground, which is facilitated by the special body structure and physical capabilities of the mole. This is a unique creation of nature, which brings both unconditional benefit and quite serious harm to humans.

What does a mole look like?

All members of the family are underground animals. They spend most of their lives underground and only occasionally appear on the surface.

The features of a mole’s adaptability to its environment are manifested in its appearance:

• The body shape of the animal is elongated, oblong;
• the paws are short, the hind legs are underdeveloped, the front ones are widened and slightly turned outward;
• the toes on the front paws are large, widely spaced and ending in strong flat claws;
• the head is small with a nose extended into a proboscis.

What sounds do moles make
? Due to constant exposure to darkness, the mole's eyes have been reduced. The eyeballs have completely lost the lens and retina. Some species of moles are able to distinguish light, but most members of the family are completely blind. The auricles are absent, hearing is poorly developed. The mole navigates and receives information using smell and touch. The most developed sense organs of a mole are the nose and the tail, which is equipped with sensitive hairs.

The entire body of the animal is covered with thick hair, and the pile easily lies in any direction, allowing the mole to move back and forth in narrow holes without turning around.

At the same time, the fitness of this species of mammals is not absolute, but relative. Thus, when it hits the ground surface, the features of the external structure of the mole lose their significance: the animals moving quickly underground become clumsy and clumsy, which makes them easy prey for predators.

What size is a mole

The length and weight of representatives of different mole species may differ:

Description of the animal

Its cylindrical, shortened, dense body helps it move through dug tunnels. It is slightly pointed at the front and rounded at the back.

The front part is much better developed. The animal has 6 main species and 11 different varieties. They differ in the structure of the jaw, skeleton, their weight, and size.

Young individuals differ from older mammals in the silvery hue of their skin. The mole has practically no neck. The head seems pulled into the shoulders.

The body smoothly touches the triangular head. On the head there is a proboscis, along the edges of which there are vibrissae. Thanks to these sensitive hairs, the animal finds food.

The mole's forelimbs are wide, everted, and shaped like a shovel. Initially the paws are silver-black. Over time they begin to fade.

There are 5 tightly pressed toes on the feet. They are connected by thin membranes. The claws are elongated, strong, slightly flattened. They reach 10 mm in length.

The hind feet are unwebbed, but with very sharp, elongated claws. The animal has 44 teeth, 2 of which are well-developed upper canines. In adult moles, the fangs are severely worn out.

The size of a male mole from proboscis to tail can reach 115-200 mm, females - from 105 to 145 mm. The weight of males is 90-100 g, females - 60-80 g.

Types of moles

Below are descriptions of animals belonging to the most common mole species.

European

Found in Europe and Asia. The animal is of medium size and has a relatively short tail (2-3 cm). The coat color is dark gray, almost black, with the belly being noticeably lighter.

European moles breed once a year, the first coat of the young is light, later the color becomes dark.

Blind

The main difference from its relatives is the complete absence of eye holes. Individuals are medium-sized, covered with dark brown fur. The range extends to the Caucasus, northern and eastern regions of Turkey, and Iran.

Starburst

An inhabitant of North America and Canada with a rather unusual appearance. The animal is distinguished by its rather large size: body length - 20 cm, tail length - 7-8 cm. Unlike other moles, the animal has a stigma formed from many movable fleshy processes, reminiscent of the tentacles of a starfish.

Another feature of the starfish is the ability to move through the snow, swim, and dive under ice. In addition to the insects and worms familiar to moles, the starfish eats fish and shellfish caught in the water.

Caucasian

The name indicates the habitat of the animal. The Caucasian mole is of medium size, dark brown fur, and its tail reaches 3 cm in length.

Long-tailed

The animal is distinguished by its small body size (8-9 cm) and a relatively long tail, which can reach a length of 4-4.5 cm. It lives in eastern Asia: China, Vietnam.

Ussuri mogera

Unlike species that have underdeveloped eyes, the Ussuri mogera has no eyes at all. It is found in the Primorsky Territory of Russia, as well as in northeast China. This is the largest mole among all known species on the planet. Its length can reach 21 cm, and its weight is 300 grams.

Lifestyle

Moles lead a solitary lifestyle and can briefly interact with individuals of their own species only during the breeding season. The rest of the time they are characterized by quite aggressive behavior towards their relatives.

In order for his body temperature to be stable, he has to search for food almost all the time, taking short breaks to rest. This is due to the intense metabolism characteristic of all small warm-blooded animals. Digestion of food takes 3-4 hours, after which the animal is forced to go back in search of food. A long break in feeding (14-15 hours) can lead to the death of the animal.

How do they winter

There is a misconception that moles hibernate in winter. In fact, they continue to live their normal lives, showing relatively less activity than in the warm season.

Where do moles live

Various species of moles are found in North America and Eurasia. Their distribution area is limited to the temperate and subtropical climate zone.

Habitat

Suitable living conditions for moles are loose, moderately moist soil rich in nutrients. Most often, you can find signs of the presence of underground animals on the outskirts of the forest, in meadows, hills, and agricultural fields.

Moles do not settle in too wet swampy soils, rocky soil, or arid areas.

How deep in the ground do moles live?

Moles are constantly on the move and can make up to 50 m of new passages per day. In the occupied territory, animals build a whole multi-tiered system of burrows connected to each other for various purposes.

In loose soil, the mole moves at a depth of 5-10 cm, lifting the soil at the site of the tunnel construction. The depth of the passages in the soil that dries out from above reaches 50 cm. If it is necessary to build passages at great depths, the animal periodically digs vertical branches through which it throws out excess soil. Small earthen mounds are the main sign of the presence of an underground inhabitant on the site. The nest in which it rests between searches for food is located at a depth of 1.5-2 m.

From time to time, the animal makes the rounds of already dug feeding holes in search of prey that has fallen there, and also builds new passages.

How moles dig holes

Nutrition

These creatures belong to the order of insectivores, therefore, their diet corresponds to this. A soil animal, the mole mainly obtains food for itself in feeding passages, that is, underground tunnels dug by it, with the help of its nose, which perfectly distinguishes odors.

It eats slugs, beetle larvae, and earthworms. But these underground inhabitants also hunt when they come to the surface. There they catch beetles, ants, frogs, and small rodents. These animals, contrary to some unreliable rumors, do not consume plant food at all. The food metabolism of moles is quite intense, and they require approximately 150 g of animal food per day.

By the end of autumn, in preparation for the cold, such animals begin to make winter supplies for themselves, immobilizing their prey through a bite. Such pantries, usually located in close proximity to the nest, contain more than 2 kg of food.

How moles reproduce

Males and females reach sexual maturity by one year. Mole breeding usually occurs in early spring. The duration of gestation depends on the species: usually 1.5-2 months pass from the moment of mating to the appearance of the cubs.

There are from 5 to 10 cubs in one litter. For the first month, the female feeds the babies with milk. During this time, their teeth grow, claws appear, and their bald body becomes covered with hair. At the age of 1-1.5 months, moles begin to look for food on their own.

By 2 months, young moles become completely independent and begin to search for unoccupied territory and build a hole.

How to get rid of moles in your summer cottage once and for all

In gardens and vegetable gardens, where the soil is regularly watered and fertilized, there is always an abundance of earthworms - the main food for moles. It is not surprising that animals often settle in summer cottages and garden plots, creating inconvenience for their owners. In search of prey, moles dig tunnels, damaging the root system of plants. And despite the fact that a mole can destroy many pests (mole crickets, cockchafers, slugs, caterpillars), the harm from its activity is much greater than the benefit.

Very often, the fight against moles is carried out using inhumane methods. There are several ways that will allow you to expel animals from the site without causing them harm.

Grouse

• Planting plants that emit strong, repulsive odors. These include some flowers: marigolds, daffodils, hazel grouse. Valerian, garlic, and onion help get rid of moles. The disadvantage of this method is that the barrier will act as long as the roots of the unpleasant-smelling plants are in the ground.
• Putting rotten food in holes. To drive out moles, fresh molehills are torn up and rotten eggs, rotting fish or meat are placed in the opened passage. The top layer is covered with earth and compacted tightly. Animals do not tolerate the smell of kerosene, turpentine, or tar. You can pour a small amount of a sharp-smelling liquid into the hole and cover it with earth.
• Installation of sound repellers on the site. You can buy a ready-made device or make it yourself. The design consists of a metal pin that is driven into the ground and a device located at the top that produces sound. This could be, for example, a cut tin can or a plastic bottle with bent blades, or bells. The sounds generated by the wind are transmitted through the metal into the ground, scaring off moles.

A fence made of metal mesh, slate or other durable material will help prevent the appearance of underground animals. It is dug in to a depth of 50-60 cm along the entire perimeter of the site, with the upper edge protruding 30-40 cm above the ground.

Radical methods of controlling moles include the use of poisons, traps, and traps.

PLATYPUS

Lifestyle and habitat

To better understand what kind of animal a mole is , you should describe in detail the life of these interesting creatures. As is already clear, their existence takes place underground. But not all types of soil are suitable for them. Therefore, these representatives of the fauna prefer to inhabit damp areas with fairly loose soil.

On the other hand, they simply could not cope, because they spend their lives endlessly digging numerous underground networks of passages and labyrinths. People rarely see such animals, since moles are extremely rare on the surface.

However, sometimes you can see characteristic earthen mounds in fields and meadows. This is the result of the life activity of such creatures. After all, moles prefer to throw excess soil onto the surface.

Due to the unique nature of their existence, moles are included in the list of very dangerous and daring agricultural pests. Underground, they disturb crops and break plant roots. But we should not forget that at the same time the animals loosen the soil, from which the oxygen exchange in it is greatly activated, which promotes the vital activity of the same plants and beneficial microorganisms.

For moles there is not much difference: day on earth or night, which is not surprising, given their blindness and lifestyle. These animals have completely different biorhythms.

They stay awake for up to four hours, then rest, then again indulge in activity for a similar period of time. It should be noted that such animals are not able to sleep for more than three hours.

You can’t travel much underground, and therefore these animals don’t make large movements. The only exception is the unusually hot summer periods. At this time, moles tend to move closer to rivers and other fresh water bodies so that their bodies do not lack moisture.

The mole is not a social lover. And this applies to all living beings, and to relatives in particular. Such animals are inveterate loners, in addition, they are great owners. Each of them strives to take possession of an individual plot of land, the rights to which they certainly want to protect, and very zealously.

Moles are not known for their flexible nature. And sometimes they are extremely aggressive, and this applies not only to males, but also to the female half. To imagine the population density of moles, we note that on an area of ​​1 hectare, from several specimens of such animals to three dozen can settle.

If moles happen to be neighbors, they try not to intersect with each other. Each of the animals has its own underground passages, where they tend to stay, without maintaining relationships with their relatives. If these creatures accidentally collide, they try to disperse as quickly as possible without creating problems for themselves.

Although each of them in their hearts would gladly occupy the territory of the other. Therefore, if a neighbor dies, those living in the territories adjacent to him will find out about it quite quickly. And those of their moles that turn out to be quicker seize the vacant living space, but in some cases divide it between the applicants.

How do these animals distinguish occupied areas from free ones? These creatures leave marks on their properties, and the substance they secrete contains a very odorous secretion.

During winter periods, moles do not hibernate. They prepare for cold weather in a different way: they dig deep holes and accumulate fat and food reserves. Only underground are these animals safe. When they go outside, they become completely defenseless. Therefore, they can be successfully attacked by martens, eagle owls, foxes and other predators.

Interesting Facts

• Moles are capable of creating food reserves: the animal immobilizes the animals caught in excess of worms by biting off their heads and takes them to specially dug chambers.
• One of the forms of adaptation of moles to living underground is intersexuality of females. It has been established that they form so-called ovotesticles: ovaries containing testicular tissue. As a result, an increased amount of male hormones enters the blood of females, which make them stronger, more aggressive and capable of not only digging holes, but also defending their territory.
• The duration of gestation of offspring by a female Siberian mole is 289 days.
• Moles secrete a musky-smelling secretion to mark their territory and alert other members of their species to their presence. As soon as the mole dies and its smell weakens, the empty hole is occupied by one of its relatives.

Prevention measures

To prevent moles from appearing on your site, it is worth planting a living fence made of onions, milkweed, and garlic. Marigolds, daffodils, and castor plants help well.

It is very important for prevention to reduce soil moisture. The mole does not like soil with low moisture content.

Well, another effective measure is to take up the destruction of beetles, larvae, worms and other similar pests yourself. That is, to deprive the uninvited guest of food supply. The animal will not settle in an area where there is no food.

Let's celebrate! A mole can be both beneficial and harmful to humans. Therefore, try to get rid of it before it ruins your area. But it’s still better to make sure that it bypasses your area, since fighting it can be both costly and ineffective.