Large Mole (Mogera robusta) lives in temperate forest across East Asia. It feeds on earthworms and insects. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Large Mole
- The Ussuri mole builds an extensive underground system that can reach a total length of up to 450 m. These main passages lie at least 30 cm beneath the soil, forming deep corridors that link feeding zones with reliable water sources and the central nest. By keeping the network so long and deep, the mole can move safely between food and drink without surfacing. This architecture is the backbone of its solitary, nocturnal lifestyle.
- Feeding tunnels are excavated just 10 cm below the ground, allowing the mole to hunt earthworms and insects while staying concealed. As it pushes soil out of these shallow shafts, the displaced earth piles up on the surface as a characteristic mole hill. These modest mounds mark the locations of active foraging zones and are a visible sign of the animal's underground activity.
- Its back fur shines with a metallic sheen over a brown-grey base, while the belly is a silvery-yellow with a grey chest patch. The dorsal coat is short and dense, giving the animal a smooth, compact appearance suited to life underground. The skin on the muzzle and on the feet is a distinctive yellowish colour, contrasting with the dark pelage. Even the short tail is well covered with hair, completing its specialised fur covering.
- In the wild a Ussuri mole can live up to four years, despite being hunted by a range of predators. It is occasionally taken by owls, snakes and weasels that encounter it near the surface or in its burrow entrances. The species is solitary and mainly nocturnal, spending most of its time in an extensive underground tunnel system. These habits reduce but do not eliminate encounters with its natural enemies.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeEast Asia
HabitatTemperate forest
DietEarthworms and insects
About the Large Mole
In the shadowy realm beneath our feet, the large mole navigates its subterranean world with purposeful deliberation, its powerful front legs and razor-sharp claws sculpting a labyrinthine network of tunnels and dens with each deliberate stroke. As it moves through the dark, damp soil, its delicate whiskers twitch with sensitivity, detecting the faint vibrations of insect prey and guiding the mole's relentless pursuit of sustenance. With each slow, deliberate breath, the large mole embodies a testament to the hidden, unassuming wonders that thrive in the secret landscapes beneath our own.
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