Cape Molerat (Georychus capensis) lives in open savanna across Southern Africa. It feeds on roots and tubers. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Cape Molerat
- The Cape mole-rat is the sole living representative of the genus Georychus, meaning the entire genus is embodied by this single species. It lives only in South Africa and no other modern species share its taxonomic group. Fossil remains of the same species have been recovered from middle Pleistocene deposits at Elandsfontein in the Western Cape, showing its long-term presence in the region.
- Cape mole-rats construct vast subterranean networks that can extend from 50 to 130 metres in total length, with the principal tunnels measuring about 10 centimetres across, creating a hidden labyrinth beneath the soil. These burrows are completely sealed from the surface, so their entrances are often only indicated by small dome-shaped mounds of excavated earth.
- Unlike most animals called moles, Cape mole-rats excavate by clamping soil with their powerful incisors, a technique that lets them cut through compact earth that typical moles cannot manage. Their lips can close laterally behind the opened incisors, preventing any displaced soil from entering the mouth while they dig. The feet play only a secondary role, pushing the loosened material backward rather than doing the primary cutting.
- Cape mole-rats obtain every drop of water they need from the plant parts they eat, so they never have to seek a drinking source. Their diet consists of underground storage organs such as bulbs, corms and tubers of species like Star-of-Bethlehem, Cape tulips and wood-sorrels. They locate these foods by extending narrow foraging tunnels just below the surface, sometimes only a few centimetres deep, and then transport the harvested material back to storage chambers.
- In the summer breeding period both male and female Cape mole-rats drum on the walls of their tunnels with their hind feet, creating a sound that can travel up to ten metres above ground. This reproductive drumming is distinct from the seismic signals they use at other times to warn rivals away from neighbouring burrows. The loudness of the signal allows potential mates to locate each other despite the animals spending most of their lives underground.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeSouthern Africa
HabitatOpen savanna
DietRoots and tubers
About the Cape Molerat
In the sun-baked expanses of southern Africa, the Cape molerat emerges as a curious and enigmatic figure, its stout, velvety body undulating through the dusty terrain with a singular purpose. As it moves, the molerat's powerful front legs and long, sharp claws propel it through the earth with ease, creating an intricate network of tunnels and burrows that crisscross the landscape like a hidden metropolis. With its distinctive, mole-like appearance and remarkable ability to thrive in harsh, arid environments, the Cape molerat is a testament to the ingenuity and resilience of life in the harshest of conditions.
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