Common mole rat. The common mole rat is not a mole. Habitat and habits Adaptation of the mole rat to the soil habitat

Mole rats are a genus of mammals from the mole rat family of the order of rodents. Includes about 4 species, of which the most common are the common and giant mole rat. Leads an underground lifestyle.

Description of the rodent

The length of the body is from 23 to 30 cm, the tail is short. The ears are absent, the eyes are atrophied and hidden under the skin, which is why the animal got its name. The paws are short, the hands and feet are slightly widened. The claws are large, but smaller than those of zokors. The fur is short, thick, very soft, without lint. All sense organs are well developed, only vision is missing. Elongated tactile hairs grow near the mouth, on the cheeks, forehead, abdomen and behind the body.

Mole rats feed mainly on the underground parts of plants: roots, rhizomes, bulbs and tubers. They also eat the above-ground parts of plants, which are dragged into the mink by the root.

Among the fodder plants that the mole rat eats, composite, umbrella and legume crops predominate. For the winter, the animal makes large reserves (more than 10 kg).

The distribution range of this species includes Europe, Asia Minor and North Africa. Mole rats live in the steppes, forest-steppe and deserts.

The density of populations varies over a very wide range, reaching 20 or more individuals per hectare, and in general it is quite stable and is not subject to drastic changes. The optimal population density of mole rats is 3 individuals per hectare, if the number of rodents decreases to 1-2 individuals per hectare, then the risk of population degradation increases. The mole rat population fluctuates with significant changes conditions environment, For example, Negative influence have on it both droughts and high humidity soil, as well as plowing land.

Common types of mole rat

A large rodent with a body length of adults from 20 to 32 cm, weighing about 700 g or more. The body is elongated, cylindrical, the neck is not pronounced. The legs are strongly shortened, the tail is reduced, hidden under the skin. The head is flat, wide, the shape from above resembles a spade bayonet. The eyes are reduced, hidden under the skin. The outer ear looks like a small roller and is also hidden under the coat. The nose is covered with a bare horny cover of black or brown color. The front incisors are large, protrude far forward beyond the mouth and are clearly visible. The fur is colored pale-gray-brown, but in general, the species is characterized by significant variability in color.

The species is distributed in the steppe and forest-steppe zone Russia and Ukraine between the Dnieper and the Volga, in Moldova. The southern border of the range runs along the Caucasus Range. The mole rat lives in areas with grassy vegetation, does not go far into forests, but can live on the edges, in forest belts, in clearings and next to forest roads. In plowed areas, the number of individuals is small.

A large rodent with a body length of 25 to 35 cm, weighing about 1 kg. The upper body is light, gray-yellow or ocher-brown. In older individuals, the head is almost white on top. The belly is dark grey. Sometimes there are white spots on the abdomen and on the forehead.

The species is endemic to the semi-deserts of the Caspian region of the north-east of Ciscaucasia. Occurs near the rivers Kuma, Terek and Sulak. Mole rats, which live in a separate population beyond the lower reaches of the Ural River in Kazakhstan, are sometimes identified as a separate species, the Ural mole rat (Spalax uralensis).

Sexual dimorphism is not typical for mole rats.

Mole rats lead an underground lifestyle, they dig complex minks up to 250 m long, at a depth of about 3.5 m. rare cases.

Mole rats gnaw through the ground with their strong front incisors, but do not dig it. The lateral folds of the lips behind the incisors during this process tightly close the mouth. The animal pushes the gnawed earth under itself. Having accumulated a pile of soil, the mole rat turns around and pushes it to the surface with its wide spade-shaped head. If the heap on the surface becomes very large, the mole rat closes up the exit to it and digs out a new one. During the day, the living holes of the mole rat are always closed.

Rodents place food supplies in segments of normal passages, and do not build separate chambers for this. Having filled such a segment, the mole rat walled it up with soil from all sides. There are up to 10 such "pantries" in each mink. The area of ​​the feeding area for an adult mole rat is 0.02-0.09 ha, the length of feeding passages is up to 450 meters or more per individual. In addition, mole rats build a system of summer and winter nests.

Mole rats are active all year round, do not hibernate, but winter period their activity is reduced. Peak daily activity occurs at night and in the afternoon.

Adult mole rats live separately and show strong aggression towards their relatives (their skirmishes, as a rule, end fatal). The population of mole rats is distinguished by a certain social structure, it consists of family groups of 1 male and 1-2 females, the minks of which are connected by passages or arranged side by side. Such family groups are stable and break up only after the death of one of the partners. Approximately half of the males live outside family groups and are completely excluded from the breeding process.

The life expectancy of mole rats averages from 2.5 to 4 years, sometimes mole rats live up to 9 years. Juveniles have a high survival rate.

Mole rats breed once a year, at the end of winter or at the beginning of spring. In each family group, only one female at the age of 3-7 years breeds. If there are two of them in the group, then in spring the male leaves the site of the breeding female and creates a pair with the female, who will start breeding next year. Babies are born in late February and up to mid-May. There are 2-3 cubs in one litter. At the end of May, the resettlement of young mole rats begins and this process continues until autumn. Young males settle mainly underground, females - on the surface. For this reason, females in the first year of life are characterized by high mortality. The range of settlement is from a couple of tens to hundreds of meters.

natural enemies

1. Mole rats are solitary animals. Adult mole rats live only in individual burrows. They are very cautious and rarely fall into human traps.
2. Mole rat can harm crops in vegetable gardens and household plots. Soil emissions hinder field work, such as mechanized cutting of perennial grasses for hay, and damage field roads. At the same time, it is difficult to fight the mole rat because of its underground lifestyle. For this purpose, mechanical traps and scaring devices are used.
3. The giant mole rat is a protected species listed in the Red Book of Russia and the IUCN Red List.

Seeing small mounds of earth on the beds, it may seem that a mole has appeared on the site. But, most likely, a mole rat lives there.

Unlike the mole, this animal does much more damage and can destroy the entire crop of root crops.

Activity decreases in winter, but run into hibernation it is not characteristic of him. The animals are larger than moles, which have five fingers with claws on their paws, they are more powerful and more developed, as they dig their holes with their front paws. The forelimbs of the mole rat are weaker and do not participate in burrowing.

Several types are known. The animal that annoys summer residents is most likely an ordinary mole rat. Giant - very rare view listed in the Red Book. Found in the foothills Caucasian ridge, Moldova and southern Ukraine. The number of individuals of this species and its habitat is declining, this is due to the active agricultural activity of man. It is very rare to find it in the foothills. Caucasian mountains. The sandy species has a light color, which allows it to merge with the soil, and is distributed along the lower reaches of the Dnieper. Lives in arid steppe expanses, natural chernozems.

Description

Almost never rises to the surface of the earth. A rather large rodent weighing about a kilogram, about 30 cm long, the head is flattened, the eyes of the animal have atrophied in the process of evolution as unnecessary. It does not have a tail, the body of the animal is covered with dense hard hair. Digs burrows using rather formidable incisors. The growth of the front teeth does not stop throughout life. The structure of the lips is unique, it is designed so that when digging a hole, the earth does not get into the mouth.

Natural habitat - steppe and forest-steppe. It is widely distributed in Ukraine, which is considered its homeland, and is included in the Red Book of Ukraine. Prefers areas of the steppe with dense vegetation, does not go far into the forest, choosing forest edges or forest belts along the fields.

conservation status

A significant number of species and subspecies of these animals are representatives of the Red Book of Russia and Ukraine. IN natural environment habitats are protected by the state.

Lifestyle

Leads an underground way of life, practically without rising to the surface. Arranges a complex two-level system of holes. Upstairs he seeks food, downstairs he lives and stores supplies for the winter. The depth of occurrence in winter can reach 3 meters. This helps to determine the place where the main dwelling of the animal is located: clay is present in the soil extracted to the surface.

He digs his moves with his front incisors, raking the ground under him, then turns around, and, like a scoop, pushes the soil out with his head. When the earth becomes far to wear, arranges a new exit to the surface. Active mainly at night. During the day, all residential passages are clogged with earth. For supplies, it does not suit storage facilities, using dug passages for this.

These animals are loners, meeting uninvited guests on their territory, arrange real fights among themselves. They live in families, including a male and a couple of females. Family groups are very stable and break up only in the event of the death of one of the animals.

reproduction

Animals reach puberty by the third year of life. Offspring in mole rats appears once a year at the end of winter or the beginning of spring. In each family group, only one female per year produces offspring. There are no more than three cubs in a litter. Growing up, young animals settle across the territory.

Males do it underground, females on the surface, which is why a large number of they die in their first year of life. For this reason, a large number of males live independently and do not participate in the reproduction of the population. When looking for a new place of residence, they are able to overcome a distance of several hundred meters.

natural enemies

Due to the fact that mole rats spend almost their entire lives underground, the number of enemies they have is small. They are hunted by the steppe ferret in their natural habitat. The foxes and predator birds.

Relationship with a person

Mole rats are pests of agricultural land, so let's put it mildly that a person's attitude towards them is complex. Destroys crops of potatoes, carrots and beets cultivated in gardens and dachas. It does not disdain flowers, the rhizomes of which form bulbs. In the spring, when there is not enough food, it feeds on seeds and young shoots of agricultural crops. How else can a person relate to an animal that is capable of destroying the fruits of hard, painstaking work?

Harm in the garden

The appearance of a rodent in the garden or suburban area is a real problem. This creature can deprive you of your potato, carrot, and beet crops. A logical question arises - how to get rid of a voracious mole rat in a country house or garden. He eats the tops of plants, and stores root crops for the winter. One adult can ruin the work of a whole summer season. More than 10 kg of root crops were found in burrows, and more than one vegetable store suits the rodent. The more well-groomed the garden, the greater the desire of these animals to settle on it.

Radical ways to get rid of a mole rat

As soon as the mole rat appears in the garden, summer residents begin to think about how to get rid of the country terrorist. It is difficult to take out his garden, because the animal almost does not appear on the surface, and thanks to a well-developed instinct, it can avoid the traps set on it. The fight against him turns into a battle for the harvest.

Excessive humanity can negate the work of an entire season. You can use poison if you are not afraid to kill your pets. Set special traps, although animals show miracles of ingenuity, bypassing the most sophisticated traps. Before using the trap, it is desirable to rid it of the smell of a person, for example: rub with onions. The hope that the mole rat will not pass by the trap increases.

Homemade scare devices

You can take advantage of the natural caution of the animal and its good sense of smell. Place rags moistened with liquids that have a sharp, unpleasant odor in dug passages. For example: diesel fuel, kerosene, etc. This will create discomfort, scare the animal and possibly leave your site. Garden owners have noticed that the rodent does not like noise.

A very simple way: meter-long pieces of reinforcement are hammered into the ground so that 30-40 cm remain on the surface. An empty metal tin can is put on top of the pin. The wind walking around the site moves the banks and the sound propagates through the reinforcement in the ground. At dacha forums, it is proposed to bring exhaust gases of an automobile engine into a hole. This method is harmful to the soil, the exhaust contains heavy metals that can seriously poison the earth, and through it your “saved” crop.

Setting traps

Rodents are afraid of drafts and experienced gardeners use this. They break the mink about a meter and set a trap, the passage is covered with plywood. The owner will come to close the hole in order to prevent a draft, and possibly fall into a trap.

Installation of ringing, rattling and vibrating homemade devices

Pests do not tolerate loud sounds, but your neighbors in the suburban area will quickly react negatively to the continuously ringing “trill” of a mechanical howler. Devices that cause ground vibration are preferred here, but it is difficult to obtain the necessary power to protect the entire site.

water fight

If you decide to drive the rodent out of the hole by flooding the passages, do not expect that a few buckets will be enough for you. Open holes (several) and fill them with water with a watering hose. It is good if it is possible to supply water to several points at once. Sooner or later, the animal will come to the surface - do not yawn here.

Mole rats and the constant struggle with them are the lot of many cottage owners, so you need to be fully armed.

Installation of an ultrasonic repeller

If inhumane methods of struggle are unacceptable to you, you do not want to use mousetraps or poisonous baits, there is another way. An electronic device that repels rodents has appeared on sale in the distribution network. The method is based on the propagation of ultrasonic vibrations, causes anxiety, fear, disorientation in space in rodents.

The disadvantage is that in order to achieve the effect of one or two devices on the site is not enough, you need to buy several. These fighting devices are effective and do not require other methods. After some time, the pests will leave the area that has become uncomfortable, even if this area has a good food base. The ultrasonic method will drive the mole rat and other agricultural pests out of your area. This method is more humane and you won't have to kill those cute animals.

Appearance

A relatively large rodent - the body length of adults is 20-32 cm, weight up to 700 grams or more. The body is elongated, cylindrical in shape, without a pronounced neck. The limbs are greatly shortened, the tail is reduced and hidden under the skin. The head is flattened, wide (wider than any part of the body), in shape from above it looks like a spade bayonet. The eyes are largely reduced and hidden under the skin. The outer ear is represented as a small roller hidden under the fur. The nasal region is covered with a bare horny sheath and is usually colored black or brown. Anterior incisors large, far protruding beyond oral cavity and well visible. The general tone of the fur color is pale-gray-brown, between individual individuals there is a significant variability in color.

Spreading

Lifestyle

The animal leads an exclusively underground lifestyle, coming to the surface in rare cases. Creates an extended highly branched system of holes, consisting, as a rule, of two tiers, of which the most extended is the upper "stern", lying at a depth of about 20-25 cm. In addition to the stern layer, arranges a system of summer and winter nests, as well as food storage, connected by a second, deeper (up to 3-4 meters) tier of passages. When digging passages, the mole rat loosens the soil with the help of incisors, then discarding it with its paws and moving it further to the soil surface, where characteristic so-called. "mole rats" - heaps of discarded earth of significant size (about 50 cm in diameter, the weight of the discarded earth in one mole rat is about 10 kg). The area of ​​the feeding area of ​​one adult individual is 0.02-0.09 hectares, the length of feeding passages varies widely and can be up to 450 meters or more per individual.

Population density also varies widely, reaching 20 or more individuals per hectare. In a long-term context, the population density is quite stable and is not subject to sharp fluctuations. The optimal population density is 3 individuals per hectare, with a drop in numbers to 1.8-1.1 individuals per hectare, there is a high risk of population degradation. A change in the population size is possible with a significant change in conditions external environment in particular, droughts, periods of increased moisture, and plowing of land have a negative impact. The common mole rat is a strictly herbivorous animal, the basis of its nutrition is rhizomes, bulbs and plant tubers. In spring and early summer, aerial parts of plants (stems and leaves) are also actively used for food. The range of fodder plants is several dozen species, among which Compositae, Umbelliferae and Legumes predominate. By winter, the animal makes large (more than 10 kg) stocks.

Mole rat is active all year round, does not hibernate, although by winter its activity decreases sharply. In the daily context, they are most active at night and in the afternoon. Adult individuals live separately, showing strong aggression towards relatives (if it is impossible to retreat, collisions, as a rule, end in death). At the same time, the population has a certain social structure, consisting of family groups (male and 1-2 females), the burrows of whose representatives are connected or located nearby. Family groups are stable and break up only when one of the partners dies. About half of the males live outside family groups, thus being excluded from the breeding process. Mole rats live for rodents for quite a long time, the average generation duration is 2.5-4 years, some individuals live up to 9 years. The survival rate of young animals is high, about half or more of the individuals.

reproduction

Only one female breeds per family group each year; if there are two females in the group, then in spring the male leaves the site of the breeding female and forms a pair with the female who will breed next year. Cubs are born from late February to mid-May. There are 2-3 cubs in a brood. The main reproductive contribution is made by females at the age of 3-7 years. From the end of May, the resettlement of young animals from broods begins, partly on the surface, partly underground, the resettlement continues until autumn. Young males mainly settle in the second year of life and mostly underground, females - in the first year and often on the surface, which leads to greater mortality of females in the first year of life. The range of settlement varies from several tens to several hundred meters.

natural enemies

Relationship with a person

Can harm crops, especially in vegetable gardens and household plots (potatoes, carrots, onions and bulbous flowers are most affected). Damages crops of corn, legumes, woody plants (eats germinating seeds and young plants). Soil emissions can impede field work (especially mechanized cutting of perennial grasses for hay), and also spoil field roads. Due to the underground way of life, the fight against the animal is difficult (mainly mechanical traps and scaring devices are used) and often ineffective.

Notes

Links

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See what "Common mole rat" is in other dictionaries:

mole rat- Spalax mkrophtalmus see also 11.11.1. Genus Mole rat Spalax Common mole rat Spalax mkrophtalmus (Table 60) Body length 20 26 cm. Dark coloration. It lives in forest-steppes and tall-grass steppes to the Volga to the east, to Tula and Penza to the north, in ... ... Animals of Russia. Directory

mole rat Žinduolių pavadinimų žodynas

small-eyed mole rat- paprastasis aklys statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Spalax microphtalmus engl. greater mole rate; mole rat; Russian mole rat vok. Blindmaus; gemeine Blindmaus; große Blindmaus; Ost Blindmaus; Ost… … Žinduolių pavadinimų žodynas

South Russian mole rat- paprastasis aklys statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Spalax microphtalmus engl. greater mole rate; mole rat; Russian mole rat vok. Blindmaus; gemeine Blindmaus; große Blindmaus; Ost Blindmaus; Ost… … Žinduolių pavadinimų žodynas Wikipedia

Due to the wide variety of conditions, both on land and in the seas, and with a significant stretch of territory from north to south and from west to east. animal world The USSR is very diverse. However, due to the northern position of most of the territory ... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

To date, the most famous excavating rodent is the mole. And such a representative of the fauna as a giant mole rat remains little known, although it is not inferior in size to a mole. Its brethren (small mole rat, common mole rat and sandy mole rat) are more common and there is more information about them. The sand mole rat most resembles a giant mole rat, outward signs and biology. This animal is also very interesting view and has its own characteristics that distinguish them from other representatives of rodents-diggers.

Sand mole rat

Small mole rat

Common mole rat

Appearance

Body length 20-50 cm. Body oblong oval. Giant gray-brown mole rat. The coat is short and thick. The upper part of the body is usually lighter than the lower part. In older individuals, the fur often becomes white. The eyes are missing. To be more precise, there are eyeballs, but they are hidden under the skin and are practically undeveloped. The nose is large, bare. Mustaches are short. The teeth are represented by only two pairs of incisors (anterior teeth). The legs are short with small claws. External ears are absent, only two holes are visible on the sides of the head. The tail is missing. Long hairs grow on the forehead, cheeks, belly, near the mouth and on the back of the body, which perform the function of touch. (Fig. 1 Mole rat photo)

Spreading

Like the sand mole rat, it lives in the clayey and sandy semi-deserts of the Caspian regions of the northeastern Ciscaucasia, in the lower reaches of the Sulak, Terek and Kuma rivers. From r. Kumy to the south goes beyond the line Gudermes - Makhachkala. On the territory of Dogistan, it lives in the Terek-Sulak and Terek-Kuma lowlands. This species is distributed unevenly, in foci, in the form of separate settlements.

Mole mole

Lifestyle

Leads a solitary life. Adults live in separate burrows. Mole rats spend their entire lives underground in total darkness. They dig long holes with many passages and chambers that reach 250 m, at a depth of up to 4 m. They push the soil to the surface with the help of their heads. A large pile of earth accumulates near the hole, with which the rodent closes up the burrow, and next to it digs a new entrance to the hole. Mole rats collect food for the winter in the passages and cover them with earth on both sides; there can be up to 10 such pantries in each hole.

reproduction

Females bring offspring no more than once every two years, in early spring. Each brood has 2-3 cubs. After birth, each cub is naked, but soon they acquire fluffy hair. They stay with their mother for some time after lactation, and by autumn the young are settled and begin an independent life. Sexual maturity occurs in the second year of their life. The cubs that settle are often preyed upon by birds of prey and foxes.

Naked baby mole rat

Nutrition

It eats only vegetable food (about 40 species of plants): dzhuzgun, wheatgrass, kachim, kiyak, wormwood. In captivity, he can eat various vegetables (carrots, beets, potatoes). In the warm season, the mole rat eats the upper part of the plants, and stores the root for the winter.

Maliciousness

Due to the fact that mole rats often live near gardens and household plots, they harm crops, mainly root crops. Emissions of earth from the hole can interfere with agricultural work (cultivation, plowing) and can damage roads near fields.

Mole mole photo

Fighting methods

Since the mole rat lives underground, it is not easy to fight him. To do this, use mechanical traps or ultrasonic repellers. But these means are ineffective, as the animal deftly avoids them. Considering the low reproductive rate of giant mole rats, the fight against them is not advisable. But if these rodents are massively operating in your garden, then of course you can resort to methods of struggle:

• mole rats are afraid of strong air currents. The burrow can be blown out, and the rodent that crawled out of the other exit of the burrow can be manually disposed of
• rodenticides (poison against rodents) are sold against mole rats, but their use in vegetable gardens where crops are grown for food is not recommended
• Another one good way fight against mole rats - it is recommended to install traps, traps or crossbows near the entrances to the hole
• an ultrasonic repeller is also used in the fight against mole rats. The repeller must be installed evenly throughout the territory and its effect will not keep you waiting long. The repeller acts on the rodent in an irritating way and it immediately leaves the place of exposure to the device. To understand which is better to choose a repeller, you can read the reviews on the relevant sites.

• In order to turn around in its narrow hole and go back, the giant mole rat makes a kind of “somersault”, which is not typical for other excavators.
• the wool of the giant mole rat can be laid in any direction, which allows it to pass smoothly in different directions of the burrow passages
• the shape of the giant mole rat's body resembles a dish of Kazakh cuisine kurt (cottage cheese cake in the form of sausage). The Kazakhs call this animal kurt-tyshkat, that is, a rodent similar to kurt
• unlike the mole, the giant mole rat digs the ground not with its paws, but with its incisors (front teeth). The earth never gets into the mouth of the rodent thanks to the skin on the sides of the mouth
• if the mole rat is on the surface of the earth, then he will be in a stupor for some time, then circle in one place in reverse and finally try to quickly burrow into the ground
• the lack of vision is compensated by an excellent sense of smell and touch
• This rodent is listed in the Red Book of Russia.

Now you know what a mole rat looks like, its lifestyle and features of its biology. The giant mole rat is not found everywhere and even quite rarely, in separate foci, but if a lot of these rodents have divorced in your area, you know how to get rid of it. An ultrasonic repeller is considered the most effective remedy.

mole rat- This is a mammal that belongs to the order of rodents. During evolutionary development all the organs of this animal have adapted to the underground way of life.

The eyes completely atrophied and lost the ability to see. This is almost the only case in the joy of rodents, when there was a complete loss of vision. The lifestyle of these mammals is exclusively underground. mole rats, as well as, they dig long labyrinths of passages, and they push the excess soil that interferes with them to the surface.

There are 4 species in the mole rat family. Each of them has its own habitat. mole rat animal chooses steppes, deserts, forest-steppes and the outskirts of forests for its residence. The soil suitable for their habitation should be of moderate density. Clay and sandy soil is not suitable for them. Their habitat includes forest-steppes and steppes of Moldova, Ukraine and Russia.

The mole rat digs the ground with his teeth

These are mainly pastures or unplowed lands rich in herbaceous vegetation. Mole mole itself is small. Its length is 30-32 cm. Weigh from 700 gr. up to 1 kg. He leads a rather secluded lifestyle, so few people saw him live. In order to correct this oversight and have an idea about appearance this animal, we bring to your attention several photo of mole rats.

As you can see in the image, he has no ears, his eyes are hidden under the folds of the skin, and small tail practically invisible. The limbs of this underground inhabitant are short, and the head resembles a bayonet shovel. By the way, digs its tunnels mole mole exclusively with teeth, not paws.

This happens as follows, the front incisors of a mammal bite into the soil, and then, with the help of a spade-shaped head, crushed lumps of earth are pushed out. Special structure jaw and muscles allows you to push the lower incisors and move them forward and backward.

Such work leads to significant wear of the teeth in mole rat. But do not worry, the incisors grow very quickly, so this underground dweller will not be left without a “tool” for digging his tunnels. By the way, thanks to his work, he not only grinds the cutters, but also sharpens them when biting into the soil. Animals in captivity deserve more sympathy.

They do not have the ability to grind their teeth and sometimes they cannot close their mouths due to the fact that the incisors have grown to enormous sizes. The fur of these giants of their business is very soft, dark in color. The nose is covered with a keratinized layer of skin. It is this layer that is protective. It protects against various mechanical damage during the ramming of the burrow walls.

The nature and lifestyle of a mole rat

If moles loosen the soil with their front paws, then sand mole rats wield powerful chisels. Heaps of earth after their activity remain larger than those of moles, and reach about 0.5 m.

Pictured is a sand mole rat

The weight of one such pile can reach 10 kg. From 3 to 20 representatives of this species live on 1 ha of land. The most active period of the life of these rodents falls in the spring months. In summer and winter, they become less active, but do not fall into hibernation. Labyrinths of moves of mole rats of giants special in their structure.

Their hallmark is a tiered tunnel system. So, the upper floor of "such a building" is considered food, it is located at a depth of 25 cm. On this tier, rodents collect food: tubers, rhizomes of plants. On the second floor there are tunnels, summer and winter nests and storerooms. It is located deeper - 3-4 m.

In winter, the entrance to these underground galleries is clogged with earth, and the animal lives here until the onset of warm weather. The total area of ​​such labyrinths is 450 m. The number of food pantries in such a territory can reach 10 pieces, and winter stocks can be 10 kg. Here is such a thrifty animal.

The lifestyle of giant mole rats is lonely. They carefully guard the borders of their territory. At times, clashes between two males end in fatal fights over territory. Their activities cause great harm agriculture.

Signs of mole rat in the garden- These are hills of the earth. They not only spoil the aesthetic appearance of the site, but also ruin the crop. Corn, legumes, carrots, beets and potatoes suffer the most from these underground animals. In just one day, 1 individual is able to damage 4-6 bushes of root crops. mole rat settled down in your area, how to deal with it?

You can get rid of such a pest by re-digging the soil. So destroy the stern tiers of their moves. It happens that they are repelled by an unpleasant smell, so you can use special purchased repellers. One way to fight is capturing a mole rat by hand. To do this, a fresh entrance to the hole is determined and another entrance is sought. Then the segment between them is dug up.

Pictured is a giant mole rat

This animal does not tolerate drafts, so it will try to eliminate the destruction. It is at this moment that it will be possible to catch this pest. kick out mole rat can be done with water. They find a mound of earth mixed with clay and pour water into a hole nearby.

Nutrition

Eat exclusively plant food. They eat tubers, bulbs and rhizomes. To get to the stem, they pull on the root so that the whole plant is in their hole. The mole rat's favorite "dishes" are legumes, Compositae and umbrella.

Reproduction and lifespan

Mole rats live singly, but during the breeding season they form family groups. Such a family includes 1 male and 1-2 females. As a rule, members of such families live in the neighborhood. The male digs a tunnel to his chosen one. He moves to the sounds that the female makes.

If there are 2 females in the group, then they breed in turn. One year the first, the second - the other. Such unions break up only in case of death. 2-3 babies are born per year. This significant event falls between February and May.

The resettlement of the younger generation takes place in a peculiar way. So "girls" are relocated to upper tiers a year after their appearance, and the "boys" - in the 2nd year, to the lower floors. They become sexually mature individuals at 2-3 years of age. Mole rat life span is 2.5 - 9 years.