Moist soil is easy to dig. And just underground, there is a network of tunnels –the work of a particularly industrious little mammal. A star-nosed mole. Virtually blind, he relies on his super-sensitive nose.
It's not just for smelling; it's also for feeling. And it is 100 times more sensitive
than our own fingertips. To fuel his active lifestyle, he must eat up to twice his body weight every day.
And worms, as they burrow, simply drop into his tunnels of their own accord.
Life underground can be pretty good.
But every spring, torrential rain saturates the soil. Before long, the mole's tunnels are flooded.
He can hold his breath for little more than 30 seconds. He must get out or he'll drown. Made it.
But having taken a breath, he dives straight back in. Large feet, excellent for digging,
also make very effective paddles. And his water-resistant coat keeps him warm.
So he's well-equipped for swimming.
But how do you sniff out prey underwater?
First, he blows bubbles into the submerged leaves. Smells pass into them, and sniffing them with his nose enables him to detect something edible. So he can locate possible prey even underwater.
Star-nosed moles are one of the few mammals that are just as at home in the water as they are in soil.
Ah, the star-nosed mole, one of nature's most peculiar creations! This little critter is like something straight out of a science fiction novel. Let's dive into what makes it so fascinating.
First off, just take a look at its nose! The star-nosed mole has a truly bizarre set of appendages surrounding its snout, which resembles a starburst pattern. This "star" is actually a collection of 22 fleshy tentacles, called rays, each packed with sensitive touch receptors called Eimer's organs. These organs allow the mole to navigate and hunt in its dark, underground world with astonishing speed and precision. In fact, the star-nosed mole is one of the fastest foragers among mammals, able to identify and consume prey in milliseconds!
But that's not all that's remarkable about this creature. The star-nosed mole is also a proficient swimmer, with its large, paddle-like feet and water-repellent fur. It can dive and maneuver underwater with ease, hunting for aquatic invertebrates like worms and small fish.
Despite spending most of its time underground, the star-nosed mole is not a loner. It lives in colonies and communicates through a variety of vocalizations and scent markings. These social creatures cooperate in tunnel construction and share food resources, fostering a tight-knit community underground.
And let's not forget its exceptional sensory abilities. In addition to its extraordinary sense of touch, the star-nosed mole has acute hearing and a keen sense of smell, making it a formidable predator despite its small size.
All in all, the star-nosed mole is a true marvel of evolution, adapted to thrive in its specialized habitat with an array of unique features and behaviors.
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