A team of researchers has rediscovered the golden mole nearly 100 years after its last sighting. Wildlife experts had expressed concerns that this species may have gone extinct.
The De Winton's golden mole (Cryptochromis wintoni) is a rare species that ranks 11th on the list of the most sought-after biological species compiled by the conservation organization Re:wild. It was previously found only in one location — Port Nolloth, located on the northwestern coast of South Africa.
This remarkable creature has a golden fur color and spends most of its life underground, particularly in sandy areas. Its exceptional hearing allows it to avoid threats and humans, while its fur color serves as perfect camouflage in sandy terrain, making the mole virtually elusive to researchers. However, scientists have now managed to discover it.
Searching for the Golden Mole in the Sand Dunes
In a new study published in the journal Biodiversity And Conservation, scientists from the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) employed two unique methods to search for the golden mole.
The first method involves analyzing environmental DNA (eDNA) in areas where the animal is believed to inhabit. Environmental DNA is shed into the environment through hair, skin particles, and bodily fluids of the creature.
The second method includes the use of detection dogs that help to “sniff out” the mole across vast areas of sand dunes.
As a result of the researchers' diligent work, who analyzed over 100 soil samples, it was found that several species of golden moles inhabit the dunes on the northwestern coast of South Africa, including the “long-lost” De Winton's golden mole.
As scientists emphasize, the last sighting of this animal was in 1936, and since then, researchers began to doubt that the species could have survived to this day.
