Giant mole rat - description, habitat, lifestyle

In today's article, we will study a representative of the mole rat family, which is assigned to the rodent order. The mammal is somewhat similar to the mole, however, the completely atrophied visual apparatus makes these individuals unique in its kind. They are distinguished by the ability to dig the earth, not through claws, but with teeth. The dug land is larger in size than that of moles; in fact, many farmers also distinguish these animals in this aspect. But let's not get ahead of ourselves, we will study everything in order.

Lifestyle

1. Animals have incisors, and quite large in size. Moles use claws when they dig the earth. After the activity of the presented individuals, heaps of soil remain. According to their overall features, they can reach 50 cm or more. Moreover, the weight of the pile is about 9 kg. On one hectare, 4-20 representatives of the family can live simultaneously. Rodents are most active in the springtime. They rest in the winter season and in the summer, but they do not go into hibernation.
2. The labyrinths left from these animals are intricate and quite interesting. They have many tiers, each of which is interwoven with another. The upper zone is reserved for food, it can be located to a depth of 30 cm. Animals get food in this tier. They collect roots and tubers. The second tier is reserved for the construction of dwellings for future offspring. There is also a pantry in which individuals can put all the most valuable. The second tier is deep underground - within 3.5 m.
3. In winter, individuals close the entrances to the tunnels with the help of land. Mammals live here until it gets warmer. By area, the entire structure of the labyrinths can take up to half a kilometer. On the territory there are about 8-10 pantries for food. Stocks for the winter season are about 10 kg by weight. The animals are thrifty and gluttonous, especially in the cold seasons.
4. These individuals are characterized by a single character of stay. Each member of the family safeguards their possessions, protects them. Sometimes individuals of male gender enter into a fight, which ends in death. As for the duration of existence, animals live up to 8 years, sometimes longer.
5. Farmers do not like mole rats due to the fact that they cause significant damage to agricultural activities. It is not difficult to find out that a representative of the family has started up on the territory. There will be many different slides of the earth at a certain distance from each other. In addition to worsening the appearance of the plot, mole rats threaten the crop. They eat tubers and roots. Most often, potatoes, beets, corn, carrots, beans, etc. suffer. An animal consumes about 5 bushes of root crops per day.
6. When mole rats settle on the chosen land, it is difficult to drive them out. Usually people dig sites, but even this does not give a 100% guarantee. It is important to dig deeper by 0.5 meters or more in order to destroy the aft layer of individuals. Some use repellers in the form of essential oils and other substances, their individuals can not tolerate.
7. Enthusiasts catch animals with their hands. They find the first entrance and the second, after which they dig a segment between these zones. Since mole rats will try to eliminate drafts, they will go outside, then it will be possible to catch pests. Some people simply mix water with clay and pour it into the passages.

External signs

1. It is noteworthy that the individuals in question can not particularly boast of their external attractiveness. In these animals teeth stick out strongly forward. The body is very elongated. Moreover, it is quite large in comparison with other mole rats.An adult can grow up to 35 cm in length. In this case, the body weight is about 1 kg.
2. The animals in question have no eyes. On the muzzle there are even no ears. Such individuals resemble strange creatures, which are most often shown in American horrors. However, it is worth saying right away that the animals presented are absolutely harmless. They can’t even harm anyone and protect their lives.
3. Interestingly, especially young mole rats are powerless in front of natural enemies. Most often, foxes, cats and birds of prey play their role. Often the color of these animals is monophonic. It is noteworthy that fleas live in the hair of a mole rat and they are also blind.
4. The animals under discussion are often called small all-terrain vehicles. They are able to move fairly quickly through their mazes, both back and front. If a mole rat needs to roll over, he does it very quickly, turning over through himself.

Breeding

1. The presented animals prefer to lead an exclusively solitary lifestyle. Individuals can intersect with each other only during the mating season.
2. At such times, mole rats form even entire groups. At the same time, 1 male and 2 females are present in it. After mating, about 2-3 babies are born.

Status

1. Giant mole rats are a rare species of animal. The sad thing is that every year the number of individuals gradually decreases. The problem is that they rarely produce offspring. This happens only every 2 years. Most young animals die in the first year of life.
2. In addition, the population is declining due to the fact that people constantly plow land or graze cattle. The construction of various canals also adversely affects the abundance of the species. The considered individuals are listed in the Red Book as an endangered species.

Giant mole rats are considered amazing animals. They do not belong to the subspecies of moles, since the latter are insectivores. The considered individuals are rodents. Therefore, do not confuse these animals with each other. The mole rats are on the verge of extinction, and very few individuals remain on the ground. Although they are protected, their numbers still do not increase.

Video: giant mole rat (Spalax giganteus)