Who are moles, how do they live and what do they eat?

1. Appearance of a mole
2. Differences from other mammals
3. Mole lifestyle
4. When and how often do moles molt?
5. Places where moles live
6. Families and species of moles Common mole
7. Blind Mole
8. Long-tailed mole
9. Caucasian mole
10. Siberian mole
11. Japanese shrew mole
12. Japanese mogera
13. Star-nosed

Moles are small animals that are included in the class of mammals. They eat insects, worms and larvae of various insects. It is well known that the lifespan of a mole is limited to 4-6 years, and they have 44 teeth in their mouth. Its front limbs are similar to a shovel, thanks to them the animal is able to quickly burrow into the soil in a short time.

The name "mole" means "digger". From German this name can be translated as “digging mouse.” What does a mole look like, how long does its life last, where are its habitats, how does reproduction occur? This article will be devoted to these and other questions.

Appearance of a mole

A mole is a small mammal that is part of the shrew order and the mole family. The body size of this animal can reach 20 cm. Behind the body there is a shortened tail.

The mole is equipped with four limbs. Its front legs are very different from its hind legs, they are more powerful and look like shoulder blades turned to the sides.

The paws have 5 toes ending in sharp claws. At the end of the phalanx the claws are forked. It is with them that the mole digs its underground passages. Because of such bizarre front paws, the animal looks unusual, which can be seen in the photo.

The mole's collarbones are made like a ridge and are quite well developed. The hind legs are elongated and resemble the legs of rats. The mole's tail is never long; its size can vary from 2 to 8 cm.

The head part of the animal's body is medium in size and has a conical shape. The nose is slightly elongated, and the ears are not visible at all. The sockets for the eyes are very small, and the eyes themselves lack a lens. The eyelids are very mobile. In some species, the eyes are covered with a thin skin. His vision is so poorly developed that he can be called blind. But moles have an excellent sense of smell, hearing and touch.

The mole's fur is usually black and evenly colored. However, there are species with brown or dark gray fur. The hair fibers grow in a strictly perpendicular direction from the skin. This allows the animal to quickly move underground in the usual way and backwards. Molting occurs in warm weather, three times within one year.

Lifespan

In the wild, a mole lives from 2 to 5 years. The maturation period is only 2 months. Animals have extremely few enemies underground, so almost all the cubs survive. Unlike mice, female moles give birth to only one litter per season; pregnancy lasts 10 days longer. This feature allows females to maintain their own health; the birth of babies does not deprive her of vitality. The life expectancy of females does not differ from that of males. Natural enemies of young and adult moles are cats, dogs, foxes, wolves, and hedgehogs.

Children of moles, like adults, spend most of their lives underground. You can meet them in meadows, in gardens with green spaces, as well as in cities on lawns and flower beds.

Differences from other mammals

Some people are sure that moles and rodents are the same thing. However, this judgment is far from the truth. Moles have many differences from other rodents:

1. Moles are not endowed with such powerful jaws as are characteristic of rodents, so they live where the soil is very loose. It's easy to make long passes with your paws.
2. Rare rodents can swim, and the mole is an excellent swimmer. It will not be difficult for him to swim across a medium-width river.
3. These shrews are completely unsuited for life on earth. When they accidentally land on the surface, their behavior seems clumsy, since they have almost no vision and are unable to adequately perceive the environment. On the ground they can only move by crawling.
4. Moles are endowed with weak vision, designed to be able to distinguish light from dark. Therefore, with such characteristics, a mole ideally lives only underground.

The following characteristic features distinguish moles from small rodents:

• shortened black fur that is shiny;
• an elongated proboscis in the head, with nostrils at the bottom;
• rather large and widely spaced forelimbs of a spatulate type, the back of which faces upward;
• the hind legs are not large, they are poorly developed;
• small, visually impaired eyes;
• the length of the mole varies from 11 to 21 cm, and the body weight can be about 60-150 grams;
• shortened tail.

The benefits and harms of moles

The economic significance of the common mole is twofold. By consuming a huge number of insect pests, in particular chafers and their larvae, moles are beneficial; their fur is quite valuable. However, having settled in meadows, where moles feed mainly on earthworms, and their numerous molehills occupy a significant area in the soil and bother the machine mowing of grass, thus causing harm here. They cause a lot of harm in fruit trees, flower beds, lawns, garden beds, where they cover young seedlings with their molehills, tear up their root system, and the like.

You can also watch a funny video about a small and funny mole that was accidentally discovered on the surface of the soil.

Mole lifestyle

Moles are considered uncooperative animals, so for a significant part of their entire lives they remain completely alone under the thickness of the earth. The only exception is the mating period of animals.

These diggers rarely change their usual habitats; most of their lives are spent in the same tunnel system that they once dug.

Moles are endowed with two glands that produce a musky-smelling secretion. With this smell they attract individuals of the opposite sex for mating, as well as worms, which form the basis of their food supply.

To survive, a mole needs to eat a number of worms and insects per day equal to half its weight. These diggers make such an extensive network of tunnels so that they contain more worms and insects that lead an underground lifestyle.

If the network of passages does not fully provide the mole with food, he begins to expand it to the required size.

The total length of underground passages can be several hundred meters. Moles constantly move along them in search of insects and worms, which turn out to be their easy prey. All underground communications formed by a mole can be divided into 2 types:

1. Labyrinths of passages located near the surface of the earth. They act as traps for insects and worms, providing the mole with food. It is curious that without food, a mole cannot live more than 15 hours.
2. The other type of passages are located much deeper. There, the animals arrange sleeping quarters for themselves and take shelter during the cold periods of the year. Since the animals need moisture, they dig passages from their sleeping quarters leading to water sources.

Important! Moles never hibernate in winter. They are awake at all times of the year and need food sources.

When and how often do moles molt?

Moles, compared to other animals, molt not twice a year, but three or even four times. This need arises due to the fact that when the mole continuously moves through underground passages, its fur quickly wears out.

As a result, it turns out that the mole sheds throughout the warm period of the year. In places where molting has already occurred, the animal’s skin becomes darker and 3 times thicker. However, hair on such areas of the skin does not adhere well and wears out quickly.

Moles molt for the first time from April to June. In females, molting begins a little earlier than in males. Instead of worn-out winter fur, moles receive less warm spring skin.

At the zenith of July, adults molt again. In the same month, the young animals molt for the first time.

As soon as the summer molt ends, only a week passes and the autumn molt of animals begins. When it is completed, the mole appears in his most attractive form. The autumn fur of moles is the warmest and most elegant. It is thick, tall, velvety, black with a silvery tint.

Places where moles live

Moles like to inhabit the following places:

• meadows;
• forest clearings;
• birch forests and copses;
• areas near roads;
• parks within the city;
• garden and vegetable plots.

Molehills are often found where the soil is enriched with humus, populated by worms, arthropod larvae, and heated by the sun. Soil moisture is also of great importance; it should have average values.

Traces of moles are unlikely to be found in the following places:

• dense forest;
• Pinery;
• swampy places;
• places where plants with strong roots grow.

The mole’s choice of place to live also depends on the annual amount of precipitation and soil temperature. If the climate in the area is not stable, moles move closer to the forest, where the depth of soil freezing in winter is less, and in summer moisture in the soil is better retained.

The mole will constantly change its location until it finds comfortable living conditions for itself.

How to get rid of moles on the site

Various means are used to combat these animals:

1. It is known that the smell of wormwood is very unpleasant for moles. Therefore, where it grows, these animals try not to appear.
2. Another means of control is to spray garden bushes and trees with a solution that includes peppermint oil.
3. If legumes are planted on the site, then this land will not be suitable for moles. The same can be said about planting onions and garlic. If you plant the borders of the site with these crops, then moles will not live there.
4. It is believed that if you plant the imperial hazel grouse, it will help get rid of these animals.
5. An effective means of controlling moles is the use of traps. A dog can help you install them correctly. The smell of mole enzymes is very unpleasant to them and they can distinguish the smell well. The dog will help you find the exit of the wormhole to the surface. Usually it is covered with earth. Therefore, before installing a trap, you need to remove a pile of earth above the surface and dig a little deeper into the hole. You need to install a trap at the exit from it. Since this passage is dug, the mole will feel a draft and will come to cover the exit from the hole with earth. At this moment he will fall into a trap. If the hunt for the mole ended successfully, then it may still be alive. If a mole hunter adheres to humane views of them, then he has the opportunity to take the animal and take it far into the forest or field and release it there. If the mole is dead, then it must be buried. This must be done away from sources of drinking water.
6. Another option to get rid of moles on your property is to use sound repellers. There are two options for such devices:
   reed;
7. using plastic bottles.

In the first case, you need to do the following. You need to cut the reeds in such a way that you get a segment of one and a half meters. In order to install it correctly, it is necessary to determine where the wormhole runs. Then you need to install the reed vertically so that the lower end falls exactly into the mole passage.

In this case, the upper part should remain above the ground. Its length should be approximately half the reed. If windy weather begins, sounds will be transmitted inside the mole tunnel. For these animals they are very unpleasant. This way you can drive moles out of your area.

Another version of the “sonic weapon” can be made using plastic bottles. Holes are made in them into which metal rods are installed. The latter are immersed in the ground in such a way as to fall into the wormhole. During strong winds, this structure will vibrate and make sounds that will fall into the hole. Such sounds are unpleasant for moles and will gradually force them to leave.

The industry produces chemicals to combat these animals. Usually their use can produce a quick and effective effect.

However, when deciding on the use of such products, owners must take into account that they contain phosphorides. Such substances can have harmful effects on the soil. Therefore, you need to weigh the benefits and harm received from such means before resorting to them. In addition, the use of phosphorides will also be dangerous for other warm-blooded animals, not just moles. If the farmer has them and can get into the cultivated area, then such animals will be endangered.

The use of chemicals to combat moles occurs in the following order. First you need to determine exactly where the mole tunnels are. Chemicals are placed where their exits are located.

For this purpose, you can use the Nutcracker product. It has a reputation for being a very effective way to control moles. This drug looks like a thick and viscous substance, which is poured at the mole exits onto the surface of the earth.

Watch the video on how to remove moles:

Families and species of moles

The Mole family includes 4 subfamilies:

• Chinese moles;
• muskrats;
• New World moles;
• moles of the Old World.

These subfamilies include more than 40 species. Six species live in the CIS:

• Small mogera;
• Mole rat;
• Great mogera;
• Common mole;
• Siberian mole;
• Small mole.

Next, we will dwell in detail on the characteristics and descriptions of each common type and see how they differ from each other.

Common mole

It is also called the European mole. Its size is 12-16 cm, and body weight varies from 55 to 90 g. The tail of the animal can have a size from 2 to 4 cm. The eyes are small, barely visible through narrow slits, they are devoid of eyelids and eyelashes.

The fur is colored black-gray, black-brown or black, with the back being slightly darker than the belly. Females give birth to cubs once a year. Similar moles can be found in the meadows and forests of European countries, in the European territory of Russia, in the Urals and Western Siberia.

Blind Mole

It is also called the small mole. Animals of this species are considered one of the smallest. They barely reach 12 cm in length, and their tail is only 2-3 cm long. The mole weighs only 30 g, its eyes are closed with skin.

Its diet includes various arthropods and their larvae. As a last resort, he eats worms. Females give birth once a year - in early spring. This species lives in the Caucasus mountains, in Turkish and Iranian territory.

Long-tailed mole

This is an animal from 8 to 9 cm long, its weight does not exceed 12 g. The tail of the animal is 4.5 cm. The fur is sparse and hard. The system of their passages is located underground at a shallow depth. Moles belonging to this species live on the Indochina Peninsula, as well as in the southern regions of China.

Caucasian mole

Animals of this species are endowed with medium sizes - their body length ranges from 10 to 14 cm, weight is 40-95 g, and the tail size is 3 cm. Males are larger than females. The color of the fur, after molting, is intensely black, but then gradually turns brown. The eyes are hidden under the skin.

The mole's passages are usually located at a depth of 7 to 18 cm, and the sleeping quarters are located at a depth of 85 cm. The basis of its diet consists of earthworms, in addition, it does not refuse to eat arthropods, along with their larvae. Females give birth once a year. The habitats of the Caucasian mole are the territories of the Caucasus region.

Siberian mole

It is also called Altai. Outwardly, it is identical to the European species, but exceeds it in size. The body size of males can reach 19 cm, and the mass of individual individuals is 225 g.

The size of females does not exceed 17 cm, and their body weight can be equal to 70-140 g. The length of the tail of both sexes is no more than 3.5 cm. The eyes of the animal are covered by movable eyelids. The color of moles varies depending on the area in which they live. It can be dark brown, black, smoky.

Siberian moles eat worms and larvae of various insects. They differ from other species in that their gestation period lasts 9 months. After summer mating, females experience inhibition in the development of embryos until spring.

The young are born at the junction of April and May. This species is widespread in Western Siberia, partially inhabits Eastern Siberia, and is also found in the southern territories of Transbaikalia and in the northwestern regions of Mongolia.

Japanese shrew mole

He is also a mole-shaped urotrichus. The animal received this name due to its identity with the shrew and mole. The species is represented by a small animal, no more than 10 cm. The length of the tail is only 3 cm, it is hairy and ends with a tassel.

Their fur is soft and thick, but not velvety. The color of the fur is black with a hint of metal or dark brown. Representatives of this species jump equally quickly on the ground and through the labyrinths of underground communications.

In addition, he climbs bushes and trees, sometimes reaching 4 meters in height. The animal overwinters in its underground rooms, as well as in empty bird nests. Females give birth to cubs once a year. The species lives on the slopes of mountains, from their foot to a height of 2 thousand meters. Large colonies of this animal have been found in the southern territories of Japan.

Japanese mogera

The length of animals of this species is 12-15 cm. The tail is no more than 2.5 cm in size, and body weight varies between 96-208 g. On the back and sides the fur is colored black, dark brown or dark gray. The color of the ventral part is lighter.

The Japanese mogera's diet consists of insect larvae, and it eats earthworms when it cannot find larvae. Animals of this species build their passages on two levels. The first level is located at a depth of 60 cm from the surface of the earth, and the second is located at a depth of more than 1 meter.

The habitats of Japanese mogeras are the middle and northern islands of Japan, the lands of both Koreas, the eastern provinces of China, as well as the south of the Russian Primorsky Territory.

Star-nosed

The body length is 20 cm, it has a scaly tail not exceeding 8 cm in size, and sparse villi are observed on it. In winter the tail becomes thicker. This species is similar to common moles in the following characteristics:

• identical structure of the forelimbs,
• no ears
• small eyes not covered with skin,
• thick dark brown or black fur.

The star-nosed mole is distinguished from other moles by its star-shaped stigma, which consists of 22 processes. These tentacles help him find food in pitch darkness. All of its tentacles are movable, with the exception of two, which are located at the top in the middle. They are directed forward and do not bend.

Moles of this species are excellent swimmers and divers, and they do this not only in the summer, but also in the cold of winter - under the ice. Moles do not dive into water for fun; there they look for and eat small crustaceans and fish.

Being on land, the mole is content with its usual food - shellfish and worms. These moles can lead a terrestrial life and move quickly on the ground or snow cover. They can build their own nests under rotting tree stumps, or they can take over an abandoned muskrat hole.

Star-nosed plant prefers moist soils located in flooded meadows or forests. It can be found in Canada, the USA and northern Mexico.

Is the mole really blind and can't see anything?

Despite the efforts of modern education, many people are convinced that the mole is blind. They say, why does this animal need vision, because moles live underground, in absolute darkness.

And indeed, in most cases, the eyes of animals caught in gardens are not visible at all. Often they are not found in moles in various photographs, of which there are many on the Internet: usually only a completely fur-covered head is visible, without a single hint of not only eyes, but also ears:

In fact, moles are not blind at all, they have eyes, and they successfully use them. To dispel some of the myths and misconceptions surrounding the idea of ​​mole blindness, let's take a closer look at these points.

Is the mole blind?

The photo below shows the head of a common European mole:

The spot that the arrow points to is the animal's eye. Moreover, this is a full-fledged eye that sees, albeit not as well as a person’s.

However, it is true that the vision of moles in general is relatively poor. They can:

• Distinguish between primary colors;
• Distinguish between light and darkness;
• Register the movement of objects with your eyes;
• Seeing large objects that stand out (for example, a large pile of dirt against a background of green grass).

At the same time, a mole is not able to distinguish, for example, a hidden predator (for example, a ferret) from a stone. He cannot see a worm lying motionless on the ground, but detects it through his sense of smell and touch. Tactile abilities are especially developed in the so-called star-nosed moles, which have very sensitive mobile outgrowths in the nose area.

Below is a photograph of a star-nosed mole - this animal has a kind of additional “tactile” vision due to sensitive outgrowths, with which it quickly feels the path in front of it when moving:

Also, most species of moles do not see distant objects. The radius of their vision is about 1-2 meters, and everything that is further is a blurred background.

However, the presence of eyes and the ability to see with them suggests that moles are not blind. Thus, the saying “blind as a mole” is not entirely correct, although it is quite understandable why it appeared...

Why is it believed that moles are blind?

The opinion that the mole is blind apparently arose from the testimony of people who noticed it in the wild or caught it in their areas.

Firstly, if you don’t purposefully look for the mole’s eyes, they are not noticeable at all. The animal's fur completely hides them, and nothing is visible on the head except the nose.

At the same time, you should not expect that a summer resident or gardener, resentful of the damaged beds, will carefully pick at the animal’s fur, looking for its eyes.

One glance (unfortunately, often at a killed animal) is enough to understand that the mole seems to have no eyes at all, and therefore the animal is blind.

Secondly, the question is quite logical: why, exactly, does a mole need vision? After all, he spends most of his life underground, and comes to the surface only occasionally, more often at night. The need for such a luxury as eyes, into which dust and earth can get in during underground work, is highly doubtful.

Nevertheless, the eyes of a mole are still useful, but more on that later.

You also need to take into account that in some species of moles the eyelids grow together, and the eyes literally remain under the skin. They have eyeballs, and they even see something, but there are no eyes on the surface of the body - is this not a reason to say that moles are blind?

In reality, moles can be considered blind only when their organs of vision, wherever they are located, do not transmit any information to the brain.

In most species of these animals, the eyes work for their intended purpose, like optical instruments, albeit very weak ones.

Moreover, even being under the skin, they see, distinguish between light and darkness, and make the animal sighted to a certain extent.

At the same time, the term “blind mole” itself, although not correct, is used in science. In science, in general, there are many such inaccuracies, and a separate species of mammal is called a blind mole.

Blind mole as an independent species

The small mole, Talpa caeca, is the name given to the blind mole, the smallest member of the family in Europe. Like an ordinary mole, it has eyes, but they are constantly under the skin and can only distinguish between light and dark (there are also suggestions that it has color vision, although detailed studies have not been carried out to confirm this).

In the photo there is a blind mole:

In general, this animal is similar in its anatomy and biology to its other relatives, having only a few pronounced and original differences:

1. It is really small, rarely grows more than 12 cm in length (in the common mole the body length usually reaches 15-16 cm) and does not weigh more than 30 grams;
2. This species has through holes in the collarbone, the origin and functions of which are still unclear;
3. The blind mole mates in winter, still in the frozen soil under the snow, and its cubs are born in March, becoming completely independent individuals by the usual breeding season of other species.

Talpa caeca lives mainly in southern Europe, Italy and Greece, but is not found in Russia. Previously, it was combined with the Caucasian mole into one species, but today it is considered an independent, full-fledged systematic unit, and its habitat in the east is limited to Macedonia.

The blind mole prefers to settle in the foothills, in subalpine grassy meadows, is often found in the same habitats as the Caucasian mole, and can even use its passages to move and collect prey. In northern Greece, the range may overlap with that of the common European mole.

The photo below shows piles of earth in a meadow, thrown out of the way by a small mole:

However, as you now understand, even a blind mole has eyes (even if they are located under the skin) and is able to see to some extent. This means that he is not as blind as they call him.

Can a mole live without sight?

The mole actually uses his eyes all the time. Research shows that it:

• He strives to get away from bright light - this allows him to constantly be under the cover of the soil, and appear on the surface mainly in the dark, when most of his enemies are sleeping;
• Notices a predator that has failed or deliberately climbed into a tunnel, mainly due to the ability of the eyes to register movement. And although in this situation the animal does not always manage to escape, often it is the detection of the predator using vision that allows it to stay alive. And such “sighted” individuals, by further participating in reproduction and passing on their genes to offspring, inhibit the evolutionary degradation of vision;
• When going under the snow or onto the soil surface, the animal can use its eyes to detect moving prey.

That is, the mole’s vision helps a lot in his difficult life.

At the same time, under normal conditions, a mole can perform almost all actions necessary for life without using its eyes.

Collecting worms and insects in tunnels, searching for a sexual partner, making new tunnels, raising offspring - all this does not require the use of vision, at least the absence of it is not critical for performing these operations. And even a completely blind mole can cope with these tasks quite well.

Highly organized large eyes that provide sharp vision, under conditions of regular underground work, would constantly become clogged, fester, leading to illness and death.

Perhaps this is what happened in the distant past, while moles adapted to underground life, and natural selection mercilessly weeded out those whose vision was worse than required, but better than necessary for survival.

We conclude: a mole is capable of living without vision. But in many cases it makes his life easier, and sometimes even saves him. That is, vision for a mole is like the ability to run fast for a person: it usually does not help to earn money and build a career, but in dangerous situations it can be extremely useful...

If not vision, then what?

Weakness of vision in moles is more than compensated by well-developed other senses.

First of all, moles have a delicate sense of smell. They find worms and insects by smell, and when they get into someone else's tunnel, they immediately determine its age and occupation, the sex of the owner and the species. The smell helps them in finding a sexual partner.

Secondly, the mole hears well. It is believed that the animal is able to hear the footsteps of a person several tens of meters away. Thanks to the unique structure of the inner ear, not found in any other mammals, the mole is very sensitive to low-frequency vibrations and can sense the approach of earthquakes.

Thirdly, the mole's nose has special sensitive areas with which the animal can touch the intended prey in order to study it. These areas are called Eimer's organs and are responsible for tactile sensations (like the feeling of touching any object with a finger in a person, only much more sensitive).

These organs are especially strongly, literally hypertrophied, developed in the star-nosed mole, turning into finger-like processes with which the animal literally probes everything around it. In the pitch darkness of an underground passage, such an organ turns out to be more functional than the eye, which requires light.

By touching an earthworm with its nose, the animal immediately receives information about its temperature, humidity, body surface topography, and ability to move. All this happens at a reflex level and at tremendous speed - 8 milliseconds is enough for an animal to evaluate the edibility of what is under its nose.

In general, the senses of moles are perfectly balanced and are suitable precisely for the lifestyle that these animals lead. And if they have eyes now, it means they are still needed.

Other animals leading a similar lifestyle have practically lost these organs and are truly blind. For example, the Australian marsupial mole does not see anything at all, not even having an optic nerve.

Interesting video: a blind mole can’t find his way home...

It is not known who was more surprised - the person who filmed the video or the mole

Source: https://krot911.ru/kroty/o-krotax/pochemu-krot-slepoj.html

What does a mole's diet consist of?

The main mole food is earthworms. Worms, attracted by the smell of a special secretion secreted by moles, themselves penetrate into the labyrinths of the animal’s feeding passages. The mole is busy searching for food 24 hours a day throughout the year. The animal feeds 3 to 5 times a day, eating from 25 to 45 g of food per day.

Having had enough, the animal retires to the sleeping area and sleeps there for 3-5 hours, curled up in a ball. When sleep passes, the animal again rushes in search of food. If the mole finds more worms than he can eat, he deprives them of the head part and drags them into special storage rooms. He starts eating them when he wakes up again.

It is curious that moles do not eat food of plant origin. Plant fibers can sometimes enter the animal’s stomach completely by accident, for example, when eating worms that had fibers in their stomach. The mole body is not able to digest plant fibers; they leave the body undigested.

When food becomes insufficient, the mole begins to dig new tunnels, expanding its hunting territory. If the usual food becomes insufficient, moles begin to eat frogs, small vertebrates and even rats.

The animal spends a lot of energy digging tunnels. To restore the balance of energy, the mole needs to eat a lot. On some days, a mole can eat a mass of food that exceeds its weight.

This animal has a very good metabolism; it can digest 50 g of food within 35 minutes, despite the fact that only 20 grams fit in its stomach. 4 hours after eating, the mole feels hungry again.

Important! In winter, moles usually do not make new moves. During this period they spend less energy and they also eat less.

Moles also constantly need water for drinking. Therefore, they equip their passage system not far from water sources.

Description and features

The mole (from the Latin Talpidae) is a small mammal from the order Shrew-like (from the Latin Soricomorpha), the mole family.
The body size of this animal reaches 20 cm. The carcass ends with a small tail. The animal mole has four limbs, and the front ones are much more developed than the back ones; they are used for digging underground passages, and therefore have the appearance of shoulder blades turned to the sides.

Because of this arrangement of the front limbs, this animal looks quite funny, which can be seen in the photo of an animal mole.

The head is conical in proportion to the body and is of medium size without ears and a slightly elongated nose. The eye sockets are very small, and the eyeballs themselves do not have lenses.

There are movable eyelids. In some species, the eyes are covered with skin. The mole is blind, he doesn't see anything. But in contrast to the lack of vision, nature has endowed these animals with excellent hearing, smell and touch.

The color scheme of mole fur is monochromatic, most often black, sometimes dark brown or dark gray. The fur grows strictly perpendicular to the skin, which makes it easy to move underground both forward and backward. Moles change their fur (molt) up to three times a year from spring to autumn.

After reading this article you will have a more complete understanding of what kind of animal a mole is and watch the video and photos of this nimble animal.

The mole family is divided into four subfamilies, such as:

• Chinese moles (from Latin Uropsilinae);
• muskrats (from Latin Desmaninae);
• New World moles (from Latin Scalopinae);
• Old World moles (from Latin Talpinae).

These subfamilies are further divided into more than 40 species. Six species live in the expanses of the former USSR: the small and large mogue, the mole rat, the small mole, the Siberian mole and the common mole.

The photo shows an ordinary mole

The habitat of moles is all continents, but for the most part they live in Europe, Asia and North America. The mole is an underground animal. It settles in areas with loose soils, mainly forests and fields, in which they dig their homes, passages for collecting and storing food and burrows for offspring.

Feed drifts lie over vast areas and are usually located at a depth of three to five centimeters from the surface, a little deeper in winter.

The hole for hibernation and nesting is always much deeper and is located 1.5-2 meters underground. Moreover, this hole always has several entrances and exits.

A huge number of species of various organisms inhabit the water element; most of the planet’s fauna has settled on land. But the world, rich in life, also represents an underground kingdom. And its members are not only small primitive forms: worms, arachnids, insects, their larvae, bacteria and others.

Creatures that spend their days underground also include mammals. Among these creatures one can name a mole. This animal has not been studied as thoroughly as we would like. And the reason is in the characteristics of such creatures that inhabit inaccessible areas hidden from human eyes.

These representatives of the fauna are classified as members of the mole family. The physiological details of their appearance prove how well they are adapted to the unusual way of life that is inherent to them, that is, underground. Here, first of all, it would be nice to mention their paws, without which it would be impossible for such creatures to survive in their usual environment.

Moles are not rodents; they dig the ground not with their teeth, but actively using their forelimbs. Therefore, their rounded hands, reminiscent of oars, are quite wide, with palms turned outward. And their widely spaced fingers are equipped with powerful, large claws.

The hind legs are not endowed with enormous strength and dexterity, but mainly serve to rake out soil previously loosened by the forelimbs.

Other features of appearance (they, like those already mentioned, are clearly visible in the photo of the mole) include: an elongated muzzle, an elongated nose, a short, thin tail. The body of such animals is covered with short fur, so that its length does not interfere with the movement of these creatures along underground paths.

In addition, their fur grows in an unusual way - upward. It is endowed with the property of bending in any direction, which again facilitates unhindered underground movement. The hair tone is usually gray or black-brown.

But there are also exceptions, depending on the variety and some structural features. Albinos are also found among such animals, although very rarely.

Describing the senses of these creatures, it should be noted that these animals are almost blind. Actually, they don’t need good vision. And the small beady eyes of moles are only capable of distinguishing darkness from light.

Their structure is very primitive and unlike the organs of vision of most mammals, and some constituent parts, for example, retinas and lenses, are completely absent. But the eyes of these underground creatures, almost indistinguishable to prying eyes in the thick fur of the animals, are perfectly protected, covered from the ingress of soil particles into them by mobile, often completely retractable eyelids. But the sense of smell and hearing in moles is well developed. And small ears are also protected by skin folds.

In general, the underground world of mammals is very diverse, because there are enough animals known that are similar to moles in that they prefer to hide from the dangers of life and the vicissitudes of the climate underground. These include, for example, the shrew - a creature with an elongated muzzle, covered with velvety short fur.

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And not all of the mentioned representatives of the animal kingdom necessarily live exclusively and only underground. Yes, they are not there all the time of their existence, but rather they look for shelter by digging holes or finding shelters made by someone else.

Among these are muskrats, which are considered close relatives of moles and are classified in the same family. They are also drawn underground, although they spend half of their existence in water. Living in burrows are, in addition, the well-known foxes and badgers, as well as chipmunks, wild rabbits, a huge number of rodents and many others.

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.

Reproduction and lifespan

Moles, in a sense, are hermits leading a solitary lifestyle. They pair up only during the rutting season, when they mate for a short period of time.

Mating of males and females occurs once a year - in early spring. However, there are exceptions, for example, in Belarus, females manage to give birth twice during the year.

Fertilized females bear offspring for 35-42 days. The average litter consists of 6 cubs, but sometimes up to 9 can be born. Only the female builds the nest for the brood. Babies are born completely naked and blind.

Intensive feeding of young animals continues for 5-8 weeks. Only the female provides food for the cubs; the male does not take any part in feeding and raising the offspring.

By about two months of age, young animals begin to show increased aggression towards their relatives. During this period, the cubs leave the parental nest, and each of them digs its own system of passages, moving on to an independent lifestyle.

Mass settlement of young moles occurs in July-August. This process takes place very quickly; within a day, a young mole can be 700 meters away from the birth nest. Young animals reach sexual maturity in 6-12 months. Next spring, the young are ready to mate and reproduce.

Attention! Moles in the natural environment, under normal living conditions, live from 4 to 6 years.

Mole children

Children of moles, like adults, spend most of their lives underground. You can meet them in meadows, in gardens with green spaces, as well as in cities on lawns and flower beds.

What is the name and appearance of a baby mole?

According to Dahl's dictionary, baby moles are called krotenok or krotysh, and in the plural they are called moles.

Moles belong to the order of insectivores. These are small mammals that spend their entire lives underground and plow up to 45 meters of soil per day. They have a round, elongated body, length from 12 to 18 cm and weight from 80 to 140 g. Moles live from 2 to 5 years.

The thick body is covered with short velvety fur. The exceptional property of the pile to grow straight allows the mole to move freely underground in different directions.

The mole has black-brown, dark gray or black hair. With constant contact with the ground, the fur quickly wipes off. The small mammal has to change its skin three times a year.

Mole fur is highly prized, it is beautiful, light and very durable.

The incredibly small eyes and ears are covered with skin and fur to prevent dirt from getting into them. The front paws of moles have large claws and are webbed and shovel-shaped, with which they quite skillfully rake the ground, working all day long. The hind legs are much less developed than the front legs. Moles have a short tail, a small elongated head, and a nose extended into a movable proboscis.

Reproduction

Moles mate from late April to early May. During this period of time they come out of the ground. The female has one litter during the year. Her pregnancy lasts from 4 to 6 weeks, up to seven naked and helpless cubs are born. After some time they become covered with yellow fluff.

Breastfeeding of the cubs lasts four weeks. Moles carefully look after their offspring: they feed, train and protect them from enemies. Growing up, the younger generation becomes hostile towards each other. Moles quickly gain weight and at the age of two months leave the house and begin to live independently.

Are moles blind from birth?

There is an opinion that moles are blind, but they see, but very poorly. Underground, vision is not particularly important, since it is still dark there.

Moles do not like sunlight, but they are able to:

• distinguish some contrasting colors;
• distinguish darkness from light;
• notice moving objects;
• see large convex objects.

Moles can only distinguish objects within a radius of about two meters. The statement that moles are blind even though they have eyes and poor vision is incorrect.

Why do they think that the mole is blind?

1. If you take a quick look at the mole, you may not notice its eyes at all. Both eyes and ears are completely covered with fur. On the mole's face, only the nose stands out well. And since they couldn’t find the eyes, they decided that the animal was blind.
2. Sometimes a mole may not pay attention to a person, being carried away by hunting insects. This fact also confirms the incorrect opinion that the mole is blind.
3. The mole rarely appears on the surface of the earth and then mainly at night.
   So it turns out, why does he need eyes? Moreover, when making moves underground, dirt can get into your eyes.

In fact, the mole constantly uses its eyes. He always moves away from bright light, notices an uninvited guest in his hole, reacting to movement.

On the surface of the soil it can notice and catch prey that is moving. A mole needs vision and helps it survive in quite difficult conditions.

Moles are gluttons

Underground, the more important organ is the nose. The mole finds any food underground with the help of its sensitive nose. During the day they can eat as much food as their weight.

They eat plant roots, insects, snails, and beetles. They love earthworms, which they store even for the winter. The mole has 44 sharp teeth with which it can chew through frogs, snakes, mice and lizards.

However, a mole can go half a day without food.

Interesting facts about moles

Moles are the masters of the home. They usually find a place to live under the roots of trees. When setting up a house, moles cover it with grass and leaves. They do not like to change their place of residence. The moves that the mole makes differ in their purpose. One by one he goes to his hole and to the watering hole, and all the others serve to get food.

For the winter, the mole stores food. He collects all the invertebrates, mutilates them, leaving them alive so that they cannot escape and puts them in a pile.

Moles are selfish animals. They can only exist alone. Even during the mating season, they have difficulty finding a female. When hunting for a female, fights often occur. Having met, two males begin a fight and fight to the end until one of them dies. The survivor then eats the dead mole.

Historical fact. Valuable mole fur skins were used to protect pilots' faces from frostbite. In winter, on airplanes with open cockpits, pilots wore face masks made from soft moleskin. It perfectly protected pilots from cold and wind.

In conclusion, it should be said that moles are secretive animals and their habits have been little studied.

Source: https://hloptarakan.ru/kroty/deti-krotov.html

Economic importance of moles

During the Soviet Union, people highly valued mole fur. The beautiful velvety skins of the animal are very durable; they were used for sewing fur coats. Such fur coats were not the warmest, but they were in fashion and cost a lot of money.

In the middle of the last century, mole fishing in the USSR was in full swing. Animal skins were harvested in significant quantities throughout the country, especially in the Urals and central Russia.

Nowadays, the fashion for mole fur coats has gone, and along with it, such a craft has lost its significance. In some regions of Russia, moles continue to be caught and their skins are used for making clothes. But the volume of such catching is quite insignificant.