Mammals
Cape Mole-rat
Georychus capensis · also called Cape mole rat
Underneath a South African hillside, a Cape mole-rat thumps its hind feet on the tunnel floor, sending a coded vibration through the soil to a neighbour it will probably never see.
Overview
The Cape mole-rat, Georychus capensis, is a Least Concern rodent that spends nearly its entire life underground in the Cape region of South Africa. Its solitary habits, foot-drumming signals, and mole-like mounds make it a distinctive member of the African mole-rat family.
A loner among social cousins
Other mole-rats are famous for living in colonies, but the Cape mole-rat keeps its own tunnels and keeps in touch through the ground itself.
Status
Least Concern, locally common in suitable soils.
Cape Mole-rat: common questions
Does the Cape mole-rat live in colonies?
No, it is solitary, unlike the naked mole-rat and Damaraland mole-rat, and defends its own tunnel system.
How does the Cape mole-rat communicate?
It sends vibration signals through the ground by drumming its hind feet.
What does the Cape mole-rat eat?
It is a herbivore that feeds on bulbs, corms, and roots that it finds by tunnelling.
Where is the Cape mole-rat found?
It lives in sandy soils and coastal scrub in the Cape region of South Africa.