A couple of pictures for the mole trappers

[Steve Albano 21]

[Steve Albano 21]

And here is a picture of the damage this guy had been causing.

[Axholme Ferreter 0]

And here is a picture of the damage this guy had been causing.

What species of mole is he Steve and how big is he?

[Steve Albano 21]

The pictures were taken by a guy who bought some traps from me, and are from the Tranavaal in South Africa. It's a "golden mole", which isn't particularly closely related to our northern hemisphere moles, but is similar in appearance, and looks to do about the same damage, if not more. And it's just about the same size as our moles.

[Rolfe 2]

The pictures were taken by a guy who bought some traps from me, and are from the Tranavaal in South Africa. It's a "golden mole", which isn't particularly closely related to our northern hemisphere moles, but is similar in appearance, and looks to do about the same damage, if not more. And it's just about the same size as our moles.

 

Here is a Golden mole that was one of three i caught in the same garden over the period of a week (apologies as i have shown the picture a few times). Makes me smile because it was from the garden of a National Lottery winner who had just won £3.5 Million.........even had golden moles as well...!

I did notice in your picture Steve that the mole had NO digging implements (nails) to it's front feet..........just thought this was unusual to see as it could certainly dig ok judging by the hills it had thrown up. They are quite unusual to catch over here these Apricot or Golden moles..........but they do turn up from titme to time, they are just colour variations of the normal species.

[Steve Albano 21]

Rolfe, still think that's a really cool mount you had made of that mole. These "golden moles" from southern Africa are a completely different family of mammals from our moles. They are related to our moles, but not that closely. The coloration is normal for them. They're all that color.

[talpa 55]

I did notice in your picture Steve that the mole had NO digging implements (nails) to it's front feet..........just thought this was unusual to see as it could certainly dig ok judging by the hills it had thrown up. They are quite unusual to catch over here these Apricot or Golden moles..........but they do turn up from titme to time, they are just colour variations of the normal species.

 

Rolfe, the nails/claws are just not visible due to the angle of the shot and the colouration, the placement angulation with the wrist is different to our UK moles, if anything their nails are bigger in relation to body size. From the pics they cause just the same sort of grief as ours.

regards

Talpa

[Steve Albano 21]

Here's a closer shot of those weird front claws. Looks like the individual digits have been partially fused to make one bigger digging claw. But yes, judging from the size of the dirt mounds, it's pretty efficient.