# 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. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Savannas - **Also known as:** Damaraland mole-rat ![Fukomys damarensis](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Damaraland_mole-rat.jpg&width=800) Photo: Sharry Goldman, CC BY 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Damaraland_mole-rat.jpg) ## 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. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Rodentia - **Family:** Bathyergidae - **Genus:** Fukomys ## 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 - **Tunnel King:** Fukomys damarensis can dig extensive underground tunnels with powerful incisors and strong claws, creating vast living and foraging networks. - **Oxygen Pro:** Fukomys damarensis has adapted blood and breathing systems, allowing them to thrive in low-oxygen environments deep within their burrows. - **Eusocial Society:** Fukomys damarensis has a complex social structure with a single breeding pair, where others help raise young and maintain the colony. - **Pain Resistor:** 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 - **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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Burrowing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/burrowing): Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Savanna](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/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. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Don't try to dig in the ground where these animals live; they need their homes to be safe. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Fukomys damarensis? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Fukomys damarensis? 13-20 cm ### How much does Fukomys damarensis weigh? 0.1-0.2 kg ### How long does Fukomys damarensis live? 10-15 years ### How fast can Fukomys damarensis move? 2 km/h ### What does Fukomys damarensis eat? They are plant-eaters that feast on underground roots, tubers, and bulbs. ### Where is Fukomys damarensis usually found? Savannas ### How does Fukomys damarensis hunt? Foraging ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [Fukomys damarensis: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/fukomys-damarensis)