The Hottentot Golden Mole survives with a skill for tunneling unsurpassed in the animal world. The mole never breaks the earth's surface; at the slightest tremor of disturbance it will retreat to deeper levels within the soil. The run and burrow system may extend in length to over 200 m: these burrows have many blind side tunnels, some of which are used as resting places, nurseries or latrines. Golden moles are distantly related to true moles, which are not found in Africa. The hottentot species has a cylindrical body, short but sturdy legs, no visible tail, ears represented externally merely by tiny cavities on either side of the head, and no sight. Their residual eyes are covered by fur-covered skin. The horny pad on the nose helps the mole to penetrate through soft soil. Each forepaw has four clawed toes, two of which do the bulk of the digging: the loose earth is pressed back with the hindfeet. The mole is most at risk after dark when it forages near the surface for earthworms and insects, vegetable matter and snails. When food is scarce it sometimes travels overland in search of new land to colonize: it is then that it is vulnerable, and a hungry owl may swoop down to make a quick kill. Up to two hairless young are born at a time, in an enlarged side-tunnel of the burrow system, in a ball-like nest of dry grass.

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