Mammal Web Page

Kyle's Star-nosed Mole Web Page


My mammal is the Star-nosed Mole
Kingdom:	Anamilia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Insectivora
Family:	insectivora
Genus:	Condylura
Species	cristata

brainmuseum.org/Specimens/
insectivora/Starnosemole

Description

The Star-nosed Mole is a small rodent that has little pink "fingers" coming out of its nose to form a star shape. The mole is completely black except for its pink nose. The mole is about 15-21 cm and weighs 30-75g.

animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/ .../phil/condyluraburrow.jpg

Habitat

The Star-nosed moles habitat is in southern Canada and northeast United States. In these places they live in underground holes that are about 3.6 cm around near stream or below the water line. They live in colonies together and are a social animal.

home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~rmacarth/abledistribution.html

Range

The Star-nosed Moles Range is from Northeastern United States to Southern Canada.

home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~rmacarth/ stardive1.jpg

Food

This mole eats earthworms, water worms, insects, their larvae, and fish if they can catch one. They depend on mostly water animals in the summer and land insects in the winter. The moles only natural predators are the owls.

Life Cycle

The mating season for the Star-nosed Mole is in the spring but the animals get together in fall to get ready for mating. The baby mole are born after 4-6 weeks after mating. The babies are born hairless, blind, and tiny and the star on their nose has already developed. The young develop quickly and leave the nest to hunt after only 3 weeks.

animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/ .../phil/condyluraburrow.jpg

Survival

The star-nosed mole survives because they can hide under ground and in the water. This ability helps them get away from their enemies. The moles only natural predators are the Screech owls.

www.amnh.org

Facts

In the winter the mole stores fat up in its tail and becomes as fat as a pencil
The mole is born hairless and blind.
The mole has a star of fingers and they are each about 6 times as sensitive as your whole hand.
The mole can burrow from under water.

Human Impact

Humans don't effect the Star-nosed Mole that much. The only thing that can effect them the most is human use of water. The moles don't effect humans as much. The moles can dig up peoples yards and humans might put out traps to kill them.