African Mole-Rats: Bathyergidae - Physical Characteristics, Habitat, Behavior And Reproduction, Damaraland Mole-rat (cryptomys Damarensis): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, DIET, AFRICAN MOLE-RATS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS
underground eaten found time
African mole-rats are found in sub-Saharan Africa.
They eat bulbs, tubers, and corms, the underground stem base of plants such as the crocus or gladiolus. Food is either eaten when it is found or brought back to a central storage area near the nest. Large food sources are often left to grow, and eaten on from time to time.
African mole-rats are considered pests in farmlands and in urban developments. Their burrows often damage roads, airport runways, and other such structures. They can also chew through underground cables, irrigation pipes, and other human-made objects.
One species of African mole-rat is listed as Vulnerable, facing a high risk of extinction in the wild, and six species are listed as Data Deficient, meaning there is not enough information available to decide their status.
Additional Topics
African mole-rats are small to medium-sized rodents with streamlined bodies 3.2 to 11.0 inches (83 to 281 millimeters) in length and with a weight of 1.2 to 31.0 ounces (34 to 896 grams). African mole-rats bodies are covered in hair that is thick and short, except for one species. They have robust heads, small eyes, very small ears, and flattened pig-like noses. The stiff hairs are thicker on the …
African mole-rats are considered by experts to show the widest range in social structure of all mammals. They are solitary rodents, and spend much of their time underground. Almost all species dig by biting the soil with their large incisor teeth or in one genus (JEE-nus), a group of animals with similar characteristics, by loosening soil with strongly developed forefeet. Muscular lips with strong…
Physical characteristics: Damaraland mole-rats have either grayish yellow-brown or dark brown coat colors. In either case, they have a large white patch on the top of the head. Damaraland mole-rats have a flattened nose; very small eyes; two large incisor teeth on top and another set of large incisors on the bottom of the mouth; five thin claws on each foot; and a stubby tail. They weigh about 4.6…
Physical characteristics: Naked mole-rats, sometimes called sand puppies, are the smallest of the mole-rats. Even though they are called both moles and rats, they are much more closely related to porcupines, chinchillas, and guinea pigs. They are nearly hairless except for scattered sensory hairs. They lack the fur typically found on rodents have underdeveloped eyes and pinkish brown to pinkish gr…
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User Comments
over 2 years ago
I have great interest in the study of Mole rats. I have some pictures of Cryptomys zechi (Ghana Mole rat)which are not very well known due to little work done on this animal. How can I present these pictures to you?
Will you be interested in collaborative work in the study of Ghana Mole rat?