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Marsupial Moles: Notoryctemorphia

Marsupial Moles And People

Aboriginal (native) people call the southern species of marsupial mole Arra-jarra-ja or Kakarratul and the northern species Itjari-itjari. These people probably ate moles when they could catch them, but because of the difficulty in hunting them, they were not a major food source. Today marsupial moles are of interest to scientists and the public mainly because of their rarity and interesting adaptations to life underground.

BRRR—IT'S COLD

Marsupial moles are used to living where it is hot. They begin to shiver when the temperature drops to 59°F (15°C) and die of hypothermia, a condition where core body temperature decreases, soon afterwards. Most marsupial moles kept in captivity have died because people did not understand that they need to be kept at temperatures of 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C) to survive.

Additional topics

Animal Life ResourceMammalsMarsupial Moles: Notoryctemorphia - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Marsupial Moles And People, Conservation Status, Southern Marsupial Mole (notoryctes Typhlops): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET