Damara Molerat (Fukomys damarensis) lives in arid savanna across Southern Africa. It feeds on roots and tubers. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Damara Molerat
- The Damaraland mole-rat lives in a single eusocial colony that centres on one breeding pair while the rest act as non-reproductive helpers. A typical colony contains about twelve individuals, though numbers can vary from two to forty. This social structure is maintained by a clear hierarchy, with the breeding male dominant, followed by the breeding female and then the non-reproductive members.
- Damaraland mole-rats excavate an underground city whose passages are wide enough for a hand, measuring 65 to 75 mm in diameter. These tunnels can extend for up to one kilometre, forming a complex network that never reaches the surface but is evident from dome-shaped molehills. The burrow system includes shallow foraging tunnels just 5 to 25 cm below ground and deeper chambers that may lie as far as 2.5 m down.
- A Damaraland mole-rat colony can move three tonnes of soil in just a two-week period, a feat achieved by the coordinated digging of its members. Because the animals inhabit arid regions, they are capable of intense, short-burst activity when conditions are favourable, especially after rain when the soil softens. Most of the excavation is performed by the non-reproductive helpers who maintain the tunnel system and create new foraging passages.
- They never drink water; every drop they need comes from the tubers they eat. Their diet consists exclusively of underground storage organs such as tubers, corms and bulbs, with favourite species including Acanthosicyos, Star-of-Bethlehem, Ledebouria and Talinum. These foods provide both the moisture and the minerals they require, and the mole-rat can metabolise those minerals without any vitamin D because it never sees sunlight.
- Their resting metabolism is only 0.66 cm³ O₂ per gram per hour, unusually low for mammals of their size. This low basal rate supports a lifestyle in which they remain active mainly during daylight hours despite living underground. Experiments show their melatonin levels shift when artificial day-length is changed, indicating they can discern light from dark even though their vision is otherwise poor.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeSouthern Africa
HabitatArid savanna
DietRoots and tubers
About the Damara Molerat
In the scorching savannas of southern Africa, the Damara mole-rat emerges as a subterranean sovereign, its stout body and powerful claws sculpted for a life of relentless excavation. As it tunnels through the hard, sun-baked earth, the mole-rat's distinctive, pink snout twitches with an unyielding determination, driven by an insatiable quest for underground sustenance and shelter. With each deliberate, purposeful movement, this remarkable creature weaves an intricate network of hidden passageways, a testament to its remarkable adaptability and unassuming resilience.
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