The Namaqua Dune Mole rat (Bathyergus janetta) is mistaken to be a very boring animal but it has interesting characteristics.

 

The size of the Namuqra dune mole rat is 80-600 grams.  It has a pinkish body that appears completely naked but has very fine hair in some places, it has small eyes because it lives in complete darkness, and has no ear lobes , short but slightly powerful legs.  Their skin can also be blush-red depending on the body and circulation.

They are found in the south of Africa.

 

The population is unknown so it’s hard to say if they are growing or shrinking in population.  Diamond mining is a reason for habitat destruction, but the population is unaffected.  It has three places where they are found.  In Alexander bay, orange river, and guhna river, Africa.

 

The namuqra mole rat eats in its tunnels, it eats roots, tubers, and bulbs of trees. They don’t have a lot of competition for food. They are vegetarians but the larger mole rats are less well equipped and cannot afford to be a specialist feeder so it lives on mainly anything.

 

The mole rats predators are the honey badger, foxes, jackals, eagles, and owls. The way its predators obtain its prey is by digging them out of the ground in their tunnels.

 

There a lot of interesting facts about the namuqra dune mole rat. Its skull is wide and fat, its loose skin allows it to get in to tight places, it lacks yellow pigment that is in all rodents. It heavily relies on a sec=nose of touch, its tail is used as a tactical organ that allows it to keep its balance. It digs with its head because their legs aren’t strong enough to, while it eats it hold its food in its fore feet.

 

Now the Bathyergus janetta or namuqra dune mole rat is hopefully a much more fascinating to those who think that is just a boring mole rat.

 

Author: Marcus M.

Published: 10/2012