Van Zyl's Golden Mole
Encyclopedia
Van Zyl's Golden Mole is a golden mole
endemic to the Western Cape Province, South Africa
. It is listed as an endangered species due to habitat loss. Golden moles are an ancient group of mammals who live mostly below ground. They have shiny coats of dense fur and a streamlined, formless appearance. They have no visible eyes or ears; in fact, they are blind – the small eyes are covered with hairy skin. The ears are small and are hidden in the animal's fur.
Van Zyl's Golden Mole is about 80–90 mm (3–3.5") long and weighs about 20–30 g (0.7–1.0 oz). It lives in the coastal dune belt and adjacent sandy areas. Usually two young are born, sometimes one. Van Zyl's Golden Mole eats various invertebrates, as well as legless lizard
s, which grow to a length of about 20 cm (8"). The young of golden moles are born in a grass-lined cavity in the ground. They usually dig their tunnels just below the ground.
Van Zyl's Golden Mole was initially known only from Compagnies Drift, 16 km (10 mi) inland from Lambert's Bay, northwestern Cape Province
, South Africa
. Another specimen was collected at Groenriviermond, approximately 150 km (90 mi) farther north along the Namaqualand
coast, in 2003. Van Zyl's Golden Mole is threatened by continued loss of habitat. For example, mining of coastal dunes for alluvial diamond
s could lead to habitat degradation. Habitat alteration associated with tourism developments along the west coast could also pose a problem for this species.
Golden mole
Golden moles are small, insectivorous burrowing mammals native to southern Africa. They form the family Chrysochloridae, and are taxonomically distinct from the true moles which they resemble due to convergence...
endemic to the Western Cape Province, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. It is listed as an endangered species due to habitat loss. Golden moles are an ancient group of mammals who live mostly below ground. They have shiny coats of dense fur and a streamlined, formless appearance. They have no visible eyes or ears; in fact, they are blind – the small eyes are covered with hairy skin. The ears are small and are hidden in the animal's fur.
Van Zyl's Golden Mole is about 80–90 mm (3–3.5") long and weighs about 20–30 g (0.7–1.0 oz). It lives in the coastal dune belt and adjacent sandy areas. Usually two young are born, sometimes one. Van Zyl's Golden Mole eats various invertebrates, as well as legless lizard
Legless lizard
Legless lizard may refer to any of several groups of lizards which have independently lost limbs or reduced them to the point of being of no use in locomotion. It is the common name for the family Pygopodidae, but often refers to other groups, such as limbless anguids, depending upon the region of...
s, which grow to a length of about 20 cm (8"). The young of golden moles are born in a grass-lined cavity in the ground. They usually dig their tunnels just below the ground.
Van Zyl's Golden Mole was initially known only from Compagnies Drift, 16 km (10 mi) inland from Lambert's Bay, northwestern Cape Province
Cape Province
The Province of the Cape of Good Hope was a province in the Union of South Africa and subsequently the Republic of South Africa...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Another specimen was collected at Groenriviermond, approximately 150 km (90 mi) farther north along the Namaqualand
Namaqualand
Namaqualand is an arid region of Namibia and South Africa, extending along the west coast over and covering a total area of 170,000 square miles/440,000 km². It is divided by the lower course of the Orange River into two portions - Little Namaqualand to the south and Great Namaqualand to the...
coast, in 2003. Van Zyl's Golden Mole is threatened by continued loss of habitat. For example, mining of coastal dunes for alluvial diamond
Diamond
In mineralogy, diamond is an allotrope of carbon, where the carbon atoms are arranged in a variation of the face-centered cubic crystal structure called a diamond lattice. Diamond is less stable than graphite, but the conversion rate from diamond to graphite is negligible at ambient conditions...
s could lead to habitat degradation. Habitat alteration associated with tourism developments along the west coast could also pose a problem for this species.