The common mole rat is completely devoid of sight, instead it has tactile hairs, a well-developed sense of smell and hearing. This animal is quite enough for a normal life, during which he almost never sees sunlight. For many land owners, the mole rat has become a real punishment, because it is able to dig up the entire landing area and even affect the stability of the buildings located there.
Few people saw the common mole rat live because of their lifestyle. They rarely come to the surface, and their activity increases with the onset of darkness. So many people have to make up some idea of the size and lifestyle of the animal only from the traces left by it. To help those who want to know how the common mole rat lives and looks, here are photos and stories of biologists.
Description of the common mole rat
The maximum length of these rodentsreaches 32 cm, and weight - 700 g. They have an elongated body in the shape of a cylinder, a short neck, paws and tail, and a head flattened at the top. The ears of the animals are barely visible, and the eyes are hidden under the skin and completely atrophied. The color of different individuals may have some differences.
The short, soft coat of mole rats usually looks like a mixture of brown, gray and brown shades in different proportions, sometimes there are light spots on the head and body. The rodent has a wide nose, usually painted black or brown. At the first meeting with a common mole rat, the upper and lower incisors extended far forward are striking.
Where the mole rats live
For permanent habitation, the common mole rat usually chooses the steppe or forest-steppe. He likes to settle near the beams, along the roads dividing the fields, and forest roads. It can be found in Russia, Ukraine and Moldova. In the northern part of its range, the common mole rat is considered rare, although it is the most common species of its genus, which also includes sandy, giant, Bukovinian and Podolsk mole rats.
At the moment, the conservation of the population of the species is threatened by plowing of land, measures to improve the properties of the land and protect plants. Meanwhile, it cannot be said that this species is on the verge of extinction. The concern of the relevant organizations arises only about the conservation of populations in some northern and southern zones, where the common mole rat lives. The Red Book of the International Conservation Union has it in its lists. In view of this captureanimals in certain areas is prohibited, and human activities in their native habitats are limited.
How mole rats live
The common mole rat, in short, all his life, and this is an average of 2.5-4 years, is underground, digs complex tunnel systems and extracts food. Most of all, the animal loves the roots, tubers and bulbs of plants, but it can also eat a stem with leaves. About 10 kg of food supplies must be prepared for the mole rat for the winter. At this time of the year, its vital activity is noticeably reduced, but the rodent does not fall into hibernation.
The optimal population density of the common mole rat is 3 individuals per hectare, but this number can reach up to 20. With the help of sharp incisors and paws, the animals break through an extensive two-tier system of holes. The upper tier lies at a depth of 20-25 cm, and the lower one, where the mole rat forms galleries for nests and food supplies, at a depth of 3-4 m. External holes are not permanent, but are formed only in order to extract dug earth to the surface.
How the animal breeds
The social structure of mole rats is made up of family groups, which include one male and one or two females. If there are two females, they give birth in turn in a year. Mating takes place in the spring, and a brood of 2-3 cubs may be born from February to May. Half of the males live in isolation and do not produce offspring.
Resettlement of young animals occurs at a distance of tens or hundreds of meters. The females do itin the first year of life, getting to the surface, which explains their high mortality. Most often they are the object of hunting birds of prey and foxes. Males separate from their mother after a year without leaving the bowels of the earth. The main underground enemy of mole rats is the steppe polecat.
Pest Animal
The branched underground labyrinths are great for the life of mole rats, but can be a cause of concern for humans. If a garden or a personal plot becomes the habitat of this rodent, you can say goodbye to the lion's share of the crop. Most likely, the animal will like carrots, potatoes and onions. He may also like onion flowers, legumes, corn and young trees.
Endless heaps of dug earth, subsidence of soil, sudden disappearance of planted crops and even small trees - this is what people observe when an ordinary mole rat settles on their land. The description of his sabotage can be continued for a long time, and stopping them is an impossible task for many.
How to drive away a mole rat
Only one question arises when a common mole rat starts up on a personal plot - how to get rid of a pest? For many, this becomes a daunting task. After all, the animal is constantly hiding in the ground and its presence, creating new mounds and destroying planted plants, only at night.
It is best to try to create such conditions for the animal to leave the land on its own. Designed for thisa lot of ways, but none of them guarantees that the animal will run away forever. But still, it is worth making every effort to get rid of the mole rat without spilling his blood.
One of the commonly used methods is to fill his tunnel with water. But this may require too much water, as the underground passages of the animal are very branchy. And if the soil quickly absorbs moisture, this method is completely useless. Some try to smoke a four-legged neighbor with smoke, pouring kerosene or fetid mixtures into the hole. Another way is to create constant noise in the area of \u200b\u200bhis residence, which the common mole rat cannot stand. Alternatively, you can use the installation of an ultrasonic repeller.
Radical ways to get rid of mole rats
When the mole rat cannot be driven away, some resort to a more drastic measure - murder. To do this, you can watch the animal by opening one of its moves. He does not like drafts, so he will definitely want to close the hole with earth. As soon as it approaches, it will be possible to destroy it.
Another way is to make a hole in the hole and place a trap in it so that the mole rat gets into it on the way to the open opening. It is important that the trap does not have a human smell, for which it is worth rubbing it with potatoes or earth. You can use poison to kill rodents. But if there is something to profit from on the site, the rodent may not covet the poisoned food.
The common mole rat is a rodent that few have seen alive. Undergrounda life of nocturnal activity has resulted in few being aware of its existence. Many would rather never know of the existence of such a subterranean dweller, instead of seeing him destroy the crops that grow on the site.
