The Talpidae family includes moles, shrews, and desmans, all confined to northern North America and Eurasia. These mostly burrowing insects (29 species in 12 genera) are very secretive and due to their lifestyle, they have generally been poorly studied. The species that has so far received the most attention from naturalists and biologists alike is the European mole (Talpa Europaea), whose lifestyle and behavior are probably quite similar to many other species within this family.
Moles are highly specialized for the fossil underground lifestyle. Their broad, spade-like forelimbs, which developed as powerful digging organs, are attached to muscular shoulders and a deep sternum. The skin on the chest is thicker than anywhere else on the body, as this area supports most of the mole's weight when it burrows or sleeps. Behind the massive shoulders, the body is roughly cylindrical, slightly tapering from very narrow hips with short sturdy hind limbs (which were not specially adapted for digging), and a short club-shaped tail, which is usually erect.
In most species, both pairs have an additional bone that increases the surface area of the paws, for additional support in the hind limbs, and for moving the ground with the front limbs. The elongated head tapers to a fleshy, hairless, hypersensitive pink nose. In the North American star-nosed mole (Condylura cristata), this organ bears 22 tentacles each carrying thousands of sensory organs.
How do moles dig burrows?
The function of the mole burrow is often misunderstood. Do not burrow moles constantly or specifically for food. Instead, the tunnel system, which is the permanent housing of the resident animal, acts as a food trap that constantly collects invertebrate prey such as earthworms and insect larvae. As they move through the soil column, the invertebrates fall into the animal's burrow and often do not escape before being detected by the vigilant, patrolling mole.
As soon as the prey is detected, it is quickly captured, and in the case of an earthworm, its head is cut off. The worm is then pulled forward through the front foot claws, thus squeezing any gravel and sand from the worm's body may cause severe erosion of the teeth, which is a common cause of death in moles.
If a mole detects a sudden abundance of prey, it will try to capture as many animals as possible, storing them in a central lair, which is usually well defended. This lair, often located near a single mole's nest, is so packed into the soil that earthworms remain alive but generally inactive for several months, thus if the animal is in a period of food shortage, they can easily raid this pantry instead of using The primary body reserves for the hunt for rare prey. When selecting such prey for a store, moles seem to be very selective, usually choosing only the largest available prey.
How do moles build tunnels?
Tunnel construction and maintenance take up much of the mole's activity time. The mole burrows actively throughout the year, although once its burrow system has been established, there may be little aboveground evidence of the mole's presence. Moles create a complex system of burrows, which are usually multi-tiered. When the mole begins to dig the tunnel system. It usually makes a relatively straight initial exploration tunnel up to 20 m (22 yds) before adding any side branches. Presumably, this is an attempt to locate nearby animals, while at the same time creating a food trap for later use. Tunnels were later elongated and many formed below these initial burrows. This tiered tunnel system can burrow a single animal that overlooks its neighbors without actually being enclosed together.
Mole's sense of navigation
Moles have a keen sense of orientation, and often build their tunnels in the exact same place each year.
In permanent pastures, existing tunnels can be used by many generations of moles. Some animals may be expelled from their tunnels by invading a stronger animal, and on such occasions, the loser will have to go away and create a new tunnel system.
These master engineers are very knowledgeable about every part of their territory and are skeptical about any changes in the tunnel, which makes it difficult to catch them. For example, if the natural path to the nest or feeding area is closed, the mole will dig either around or under the obstruction, rejoining the original tunnel with minimal digging.
Our knowledge of the sensory world of moles is very limited. They are among the exclusive fossil species, the eyes are small and hidden with thick fur or, as in the blind mole Talpa caeca, covered with the skin of ants, however, they forage not only in underground tunnels but also above ground between frosts. garbage
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