Marsupial moles are rarely seen by humans above the ground and they’ve been described as “unreservedly one of the hardest animals to find”. So new footage shared of one spotted in the Aussie outback by Yahoo News yesterday sparked a wave of excitement.
“That little video is actually more useful than most people understand,” Joe Benshemesh told Yahoo News, after watching the 36-second clip.
Benshemesh is Australia’s preeminent mole expert, and one of only a handful of people in the world with knowledge of the elusive creatures. But while he was excited to watch the footage, particularly because of the speed with which it was burrowing, he has a grim theory about why the animal was seen above ground.
There’s one tiny detail that has him concerned about the animal’s future.
Marsupial moles on the surface like beached whales
On average marsupial mole sightings are only reported five to 10 times a decade. While the two species — northern and southern — aren’t thought to be rare, sightings of them are. That’s because they generally spend their entire lives underground.
Related: Mystery over strange whale photos off Aussie coast
Because marsupial moles have a bright white colouring, being on the surface of the contrasting red desert is dangerous as they would stand out to predators. Benshemesh thinks when they venture into the light, it’s a sign something is wrong.
“It’s nuts for an animal like that to be on the surface. I reckon that marsupial moles on the surface, is kind of analogous to beached whales,” he said.
“If we weren’t able to cruise the ocean, then all we would really know about whales is when they get washed up. And all our knowledge would be when these whales suddenly appear on a beach and often die.
“We would be thinking, whales are incredibly rare things, and they very occasionally wash up on a beach. Whereas in fact the sea could be full of whales. What we’re seeing are whales in dire straits, in real trouble. And I suspect it’s exactly the same with marsupial mice.”
Tiny detail in marsupial mole video a sign of why it surfaced
In the case of the most recent video taken of a marsupial mole, Benshemesh thinks there is a clear sign of what’s forced it above ground. Look closely at its back and you’ll notice two ants.
“One of the interesting things about the ants it’s back is that they’re old ants,” he said.
“Marsupial moles do eat ants. They probably try and get ant nests, eggs and larvae. It’s quite conceivable that it got bitten by ants underground.
“And that may conceivably be why it’s on the surface — it may not be well.”
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Unusual marsupial mole behaviour continues to repeat
Once a marsupial mole makes its way to the surface for a period, Benshemesh has noted the same individual is seen again and again.
The animals live in thin layers of sand, no more than two metres deep, but they move across a large area. And the deeper they go the harder it is to dig.
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“We all die. Either our mind or our body fails. Marsupial moles end up on the surface if they lose their strength,” he said.
“Or if they lose their marbles. Because if they lose their sense of direction or how deep they are, they’re either going to go really deep or, or end up on the surface.”
“But that’s not to say any animal on the surface is doomed. Sometimes you’ll even see a little track about a metre in length and then they’re gone.”
Why marsupial moles surface after desert rains
Marsupial moles are most often seen after heavy desert rain, and Benshemesh thinks the unique way they swim through sand, rather than run through open holes, could be the reason why.
“Water would fill up the airspace and make it difficult for the animals to breathe,” he said.
“Because these animals don’t live in tunnels full of air. Just about all mammals that live underground live in tunnels. And those tunnels are obviously full of air and the air gets flushed out, and that’s how they breathe.
“Marsupial moles are completely different. They live by breathing the air between the sand grinds.”
Water turning the sand to mud and depleting underground spaces of air is not the only reason marsupial moles could be impacted by rain. Anyone who has been soaked by a sudden downpour of rain would be well aware that being well can leave you freezing.
“They are mammals, but the studies that have been done suggest they don’t try and really control their body temperature. That’s an energy saving strategy,” Benshemesh said.
“Underground the temperatures are actually very moderate. So it’s is a pretty good place to be in the summer because it’s much cooler underground. And in winter, it’s relatively warm.
“So if it gets very wet it disturbs the temperature profile. And it’s probably bad news for a marsupial mole to get wet.”
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