Page 46 - World of Animals - Issue #36

The burrowers

A molehill Moles can survive for long

periods underground thanks to
specialised blood cells
Moles live secret lives underground

thanks to their terrific tunnelling skills
Everything about moles is adapted to a life spent
underground. Their powerful front legs and paws help

them to dig tunnels efficiently, propelling them through
the dirt in a swift swimming motion. To compensate for
poor visibility, a mole’s snout is able to smell in stereo –
each nostril works independently, detecting subterranean
morsels like earthworms with impressive accuracy. Even
the mole’s blood cells are designed with burrowing in mind
– these contain special haemoglobin proteins, allowing the
animal to reuse oxygen inhaled above ground.
As they spend so much time underground, most people
have never seen a mole in the wild. Yet almost everyone
has seen a molehill. These mounds of dirt are comprised
of the excess soil excavated by moles digging and
repairing tunnels.
Gardeners and farmers may find them a nuisance, but

moles play an important role in aerating and tilling soil,
making it more fertile. As such, dirt taken from molehills
makes excellent potting soil.

Molehill
Molehill
While digging their feeding runways
While digging their feeding runways
Permanent tunnel near the surface, moles push
Permanent tunnels excess soil upwards, creating
connect the nest with molehills. A single mole is capable
feeding runways, allowing of creating dozens of molehills.
the mole to scurry
around underground
without having to dig new
passages every time.
passages every time.

Feeding runways
Shallow tunnels near the surface,
dug for the purpose of catching Nest
prey. Worms and insects find A round cavity that

A round cavity that
it diffi cult to escape from these is roughly 0.6m (2 )

)
is roughly 0.6m (2
smooth, compacted runways.
deep underground.
deep underground.
This is padded with
This is padded with
vegetation to form a
vegetation to form a
protective shell and
protective shell and
insulate the nest.
How to
identify a
molehill
Look for conical mounds of
loose soil in fields and other
green spaces, which indicate
that a mole’s network of
tunnels can be found below.
Molehills are not necessarily
where the mole has
popped out of the ground,
but are a sign that the mole
has been burrowing close
to the surface and has
pushed all of the excess
dirt upwards.

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