Excitement as rare marsupial mole sighted in Australian desert region
April 7, 2024 7:51 AM Subscribe
Excitement as rare, golden-furred, marsupial mole sighted in Australian desert region rich with wildlife. The animals — known locally as kakarratul — are only seen about five to ten times in a decade, due to their tendency to burrow underground and the minimal human presence in their desert habitat. The moles are small and covered in silky golden hair. They do not have eyes, but boast large, strong forearms and claws that allow them to quickly dive under the sand and "swim" deep into the sand dunes.
Extreme Pokémon vibes, especially the surprise lizard in the middle. Thanks for sharing.
posted by eirias at 8:27 AM on April 7
posted by eirias at 8:27 AM on April 7
"They do not have eyes"?
That's got to make survival more difficult.
posted by Windopaene at 8:41 AM on April 7
That's got to make survival more difficult.
posted by Windopaene at 8:41 AM on April 7
"They do not have eyes"?
That's got to make survival more difficult.
"The vestigial eyes are a non-functioning subcutaneous lens"
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 8:46 AM on April 7 [2 favorites]
That's got to make survival more difficult.
"The vestigial eyes are a non-functioning subcutaneous lens"
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 8:46 AM on April 7 [2 favorites]
That's got to make survival more difficult
Not sure that swimming through sand would be helped by needing to stop every two seconds to wipe grit out of their eyes.
posted by flabdablet at 9:25 AM on April 7 [4 favorites]
Not sure that swimming through sand would be helped by needing to stop every two seconds to wipe grit out of their eyes.
posted by flabdablet at 9:25 AM on April 7 [4 favorites]
Same species, different story, I think.
posted by GenjiandProust at 2:29 PM on April 7
posted by GenjiandProust at 2:29 PM on April 7
… rare, golden-furred, marsupial mole sighted in Australian desert region …
Interesting that they’re both golden-furred AND blind because presumably the golden fur evolved because it improved fitness compared to standard dirt-like mole colors by making it harder for predators to see them in a sandy desert environment, yet if they were blind as the golden fur evolved, sexual selection (golden fur makes a mate more attractive) would not have been available to supercharge the process.
If their ancestral non-desert moles did have eyes, I’d guess they evolved the golden fur first and then lost their eyes.
I suppose silkier softer fur that just happened to be golden could have spontaneously shown up and been selected for — come to think of it, isn’t standard mole fur stiff and bristly enough to make it very hard to pull a mole backward out of its hole? I seem to remember REI selling straps of mole skin you could put on X-country skis to make it easier to climb hills, but those didn’t come from marsupial moles.
posted by jamjam at 3:29 PM on April 7
Interesting that they’re both golden-furred AND blind because presumably the golden fur evolved because it improved fitness compared to standard dirt-like mole colors by making it harder for predators to see them in a sandy desert environment, yet if they were blind as the golden fur evolved, sexual selection (golden fur makes a mate more attractive) would not have been available to supercharge the process.
If their ancestral non-desert moles did have eyes, I’d guess they evolved the golden fur first and then lost their eyes.
I suppose silkier softer fur that just happened to be golden could have spontaneously shown up and been selected for — come to think of it, isn’t standard mole fur stiff and bristly enough to make it very hard to pull a mole backward out of its hole? I seem to remember REI selling straps of mole skin you could put on X-country skis to make it easier to climb hills, but those didn’t come from marsupial moles.
posted by jamjam at 3:29 PM on April 7
Isn't this a double of your own post from last year?
So, usually this species is spotted five to ten times in a decade.
Very unusually, this species was spotted in June 2023, and then there was a completely separate second sighting in April 2024.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 6:49 PM on April 7 [2 favorites]
So, usually this species is spotted five to ten times in a decade.
Very unusually, this species was spotted in June 2023, and then there was a completely separate second sighting in April 2024.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 6:49 PM on April 7 [2 favorites]
But then a sight she'd never seen made her jump and say
"Look, a rare golden-furred marsupial mole is passing my way"
And it really didn't have to stop
It just kept on going
posted by symbioid at 10:17 AM on April 8
"Look, a rare golden-furred marsupial mole is passing my way"
And it really didn't have to stop
It just kept on going
posted by symbioid at 10:17 AM on April 8
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posted by dantheclamman at 7:57 AM on April 7