ExploreMammals

Fukomys damarensis

The Damaraland mole-rat is a special little animal that lives underground. They are very social and live in big families, working together to dig tunnels and find food.

Habitat: Savannas

Appearance

The Fukomys damarensis has short, dense brownish-grey fur, often with lighter patches on its head or belly. It features a large head with small eyes, powerful yellowish incisors protruding from its mouth, and a very short tail, making it perfectly suited for an underground life.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassMammaliaOrderRodentiaFamilyBathyergidaeGenusFukomys

Fukomys damarensis

Interesting facts

A mole-rat colony can contain up to 40 individuals, all related to the queen!

Their eyes are tiny, as they rely more on touch and smell than sight underground.

They can push up to 100 times their body weight of soil while digging!

They use unique squeaks and chirps to communicate deep underground in their dark tunnels.

Special abilities

Fukomys damarensis can dig extensive underground tunnels with powerful incisors and strong claws, creating vast living and foraging networks.

Fukomys damarensis has adapted blood and breathing systems, allowing them to thrive in low-oxygen environments deep within their burrows.

Fukomys damarensis has a complex social structure with a single breeding pair, where others help raise young and maintain the colony.

Fukomys damarensis has a unique physiological mechanism that makes them resistant to some types of pain, especially acid-induced discomfort.

Measurements & details

Length: 13-20 cm
Weight: 0.1-0.2 kg
Lifespan: 10-15 years
Top Speed: 2 km/h
Litter Size: 1-5
Gestation: 70-90 days

Diet & Feeding

They are plant-eaters that feast on underground roots, tubers, and bulbs.

Primary Foods

tubers
bulbs
roots
corms
rhizomes

Foraging Method

Foraging

Ecological connections

eaten by

Cape cobra

Naja nivea

A key predator hunting them underground or on the surface.

eaten by

Black-backed jackal

Canis mesomelas

Preys on mole-rats when they venture near the surface.

depends on

Wild watermelon

Citrullus lanatus

A vital food source, especially its water-storing tubers.

Traits

Furry

Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur.

Social

Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.

Burrowing

Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding.

Herbivorous

This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.

Savanna

This habitat trait denotes species native to savannas, which are grasslands with scattered trees, typically found in tropical or subtropical regions with distinct wet and dry seasons.