Moles

Moles are small mammals adapted to a subterranean lifestyle. They have cylindrical bodies, velvety fur, very small, inconspicuous eyes and ears. reduced hindlimbs, and short, powerful forelimbs with large paws adapted for digging.

The word “mole” refers to any species in the family Talpidae, which means “mole” in Latin. Moles are found in most parts of North America, Europe and Asia

Moles may be viewed as pests to gardeners, but they provide positive contributions to soil, gardens, and ecosystem, including soil aeration, feeding on slugs and small creatures that eat plant roots, and providing prey for other wildlife. They eat earthworms and other small invertebrates in the soil

Underground breathing

Moles have been found to tolerate higher levels of carbon dioxide than other mammals, because their blood cells have a special form of hemoglobin that has a higher affinity to oxygen than other forms. In addition, moles use oxygen more effectively by reusing the exhaled air, and can survive in low-oxygen environments such as burrows.[9]

Extra thumbs

Moles’ paws

Moles have polydactyl forepaws; each has an extra thumb (also known as a prepollex) next to the regular thumb. While the mole’s other digits have multiple joints, the prepollex has a single, sickle-shaped bone that develops later and differently from the other fingers during embryogenesis from a transformed sesamoid bone in the wrist, independently evolved but similar to the giant panda thumb.

This supernumerary digit is species-specific, as it is not present in shrews, the mole’s closest relatives. Androgenic steroids are known to affect the growth and formation of bones, and a connection is possible between this species-specific trait and the “male” genital apparatus in female moles of many mole species (gonads with testicular and ovary tissues).

Moles’ Diet

A mole’s diet primarily consists of earthworms and other small invertebrates found in the soil. The mole runs are in reality “worm traps”, the mole sensing when a worm falls into the tunnel and quickly running along to kill and eat it. Because their saliva contains a toxin that can paralyze earthworms, moles are able to store their still-living prey for later consumption.

They construct special underground “larders” for just this purpose; researchers have discovered such larders with over a thousand earthworms in them. Before eating earthworms, moles pull them between their squeezed paws to force the collected earth and dirt out of the worm’s gut.

The star-nosed mole can detect, catch and eat food faster than the human eye can follow.

Breeding in Moles

Breeding season for a mole depends on species, but is generally from February through to May. Males search for females by letting out high-pitched squeals and tunneling through foreign areas.

The gestation period of the Eastern (North America) mole (Scalopus aquaticus) is approximately 42 days. Three to five young are born, mainly in March and early April.

Townsend moles mate in February and March, and the 2–4 young are born in March and April after a gestation period of about 1 month. The Townsend mole is endangered in the United States and Canada.

Coast moles produce a litter of 2–5 pups between March and April.

Pups leave the nest 33 days after birth to find territories of their own. They disperse from their mother’s range around 5–6 weeks and they become sexually mature during the spring following their birth.

Social structure of Moles

Allegedly moles are solitary creatures, coming together only to mate. Territories may overlap, but moles avoid each other and males may fight fiercely if they meet.

 

 

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