ANIMAL:Damaraland Mole-Rat Fukomys damarensis
Type of Animal:
Mole-Rat
Habitat:
Savanna, woodland, secondary forest, semiarid/arid savanna scrubland, grassland, scrub forest, agricultural areas, semiarid/arid thornscrub, semidesert, desert, partly vegetated sand dunes
Location(s):
Southern Africa
Appearance:
Cylindrical body w/ short stout limbs, large feet, conical head, fawn to almost black (usually brownish) short thick fur (sometimes blotches of white fur appear), large protruding incisor teeth, white patch on top of head, long face whiskers, breeding males largest, then queen, subordinate females smaller than subordinate males
Food/Diet:
Roots, bulbs, tubers, aloe leaves, corms, earthworms, invertebrate larvae, white ants, root/tuber vegetables, greens, legumes, fruit
Status in Wild:
Stable
Conservation:
Breeding in zoos
Lifestyle:
1 of very few eusocial mammals (multiple generations live together & very few individuals produce offspring)-colonies number around 25 consisting of queen (breeding female), 2 breeding males (boars), workers (care for queen’s pups, dig tunnels, scout food, etc.), soldiers (defend colony from predators/invaders, protect queen, etc.), & pups (2-3 per litter w/ 1-4 litters a year).
Additional Info:Called:Male:
Boar (breeder)
Soldier/Worker (nonbreeder)
Female
Queen (breeder)
Worker/Soldier (nonbreeder)
Young:
Pup
Group:
Colony
Weight:Male:
Boar-7.11 oz
Soldier/Worker-5.33 oz
Female:
Queen-6.29 oz
Worker/Soldier-5.09 oz
Young:
1.9 oz
Gestation:
3 months
Life Span:
10-20 years
Body Length:Male:
Boar-7.9 in
Soldier/Worker-5.5 in
Female:
Queen-7.9 in
Worker/Soldier-5.5 in
Tail Length:Male:
Boar-1.18 in
Soldier/Worker-0.79 in
Female:
Queen-1.18 in
Worker/Soldier-0.79 in
Main predators are snakes.
If queen dies, colony members disperse.
Very attuned to sounds & vibrations.
Pups fully weaned by 3 weeks old & can wander out of nesting chamber in 24 hours.
Rarely go above ground, except to disperse, gather nesting materials, & dig.
Like most mole rats, they have very poor eyesight.
Fun Fact(s):
Burrow/tunnel systems as large as 2 football fields w/ 1-2 centrally based deeper burrows connecting to nesting chamber as well as feeding chambers, a toilet chamber, & storage chambers. Burrows deeper when soil looser. Tunnels usually 2.6-3 in in diameter. Foraging/feeding tunnels typically 2-9.8 in beneath soil while toilet/storage/nesting chambers often as deep as 8.2 ft underground.
Despite living underground, they’re active during the day (diurnal).
