Naked Mole Rat: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Weird and Wonderful · day 1 of 7

Five facts

1. Naked mole-rats outlive every other rodent, with some living more than 37 years.
2. In air with only 5% oxygen, naked mole-rats carry on as normal for at least five hours, with no sign of distress.
3. Naked mole-rats rarely get cancer. Scientists think a giant sugary molecule in their bodies, over five times larger than ours, may help.
4. A colony has 75 to 80 members on average, sometimes over 300, but only one queen and one to three males breed.
5. Each colony has its own dialect, and its members can tell their own colony's calls from those of other colonies.

The quiz

1. Which rodents outlive all others, with some living more than 37 years?

• Naked mole-rats (correct)
• Porcupines
• Squirrels
• Beavers

Naked mole-rats outlive every other rodent, some past 37 years.

2. For how long can naked mole-rats carry on normally in air with only 5% oxygen?

• About five minutes
• About one hour
• At least five hours (correct)
• Only 18 seconds

They carry on as normal for at least five hours, with no sign of distress.

3. What may help naked mole-rats avoid cancer?

• A thick layer of fat
• A giant sugary molecule in their bodies (correct)
• Their wrinkled skin
• A diet of roots only

A sugary molecule over five times larger than in humans seems to help them avoid cancer.

4. Who reproduces in a naked mole-rat colony?

• Every adult
• Four queens
• Only the oldest male
• One queen and one to three males (correct)

Only one queen and one to three males breed.

5. What does each naked mole-rat colony have?

• Its own colour
• Several queens
• Its own dialect (correct)
• Its own tree

Each colony has its own dialect, which its members can recognise.

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