Northern marsupial mole facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Northern marsupial mole |
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| distribution range of northwest species N. caurinus |
The northern marsupial mole, also called the kakarratul, is a super unique animal from Australia. It's a type of marsupial, like a kangaroo or koala, but it lives almost its whole life underground! This amazing creature is found only in the dry, sandy deserts of Central Australia. It's built perfectly for "swimming" through sand, with a strong, small body that weighs only about 30 grams (like a few marshmallows!).
The kakarratul is very hard to find and scientists don't know much about it. It's one of Australia's most mysterious mammals!
Contents
What is a Northern Marsupial Mole?
The northern marsupial mole, known scientifically as Notoryctes caurinus, was first described in 1920 by a scientist named Oldfield Thomas. It's one of two types of marsupial moles. The other is the southern marsupial mole, Notoryctes typhlops.
Scientists first thought these two moles were the same species. But in 1988, they realized they were different. The northern mole is smaller, especially its claws and nose. But it has bigger ear bones! Its teeth are also a bit different from the southern species.
The name "kakarratul" comes from the local Indigenous languages of the region. This name was officially adopted in 1996 and is now widely used.
Physical Features and Adaptations
The kakarratul and its cousin, the itjaritjari (southern marsupial mole), look very similar. They are unlike any other animal!
Body and Fur
They have short, smooth, and soft fur that is a pale yellow-pink color. Their head and body together are about 12 to 16 centimeters long. Their tail is short and leathery, about 2 to 2.5 centimeters long. These moles weigh between 40 and 70 grams.
Special Senses and Digging Tools
The kakarratul's eyes are tiny and don't work. They are covered by skin. Its pointed snout has a tough, leathery covering that protects its nostrils. It doesn't have outside ears, but its ear openings are hidden by thick fur.
This animal is a fossorial animal, meaning it's built for digging. Its body is shaped like a tube, and its head is cone-shaped. Its legs are short and strong, perfect for digging. The third and fourth toes on its front feet have huge claws. These claws act like shovels, pushing sand out of the way.
Unique Pouch and Skeleton
Like other marsupials, the female kakarratul has a pouch for her babies. Since it lives underground, its pouch faces backward. This stops sand from getting in while it's digging!
Scientists have used special scans, like CT scans and MRIs, to study the mole's body. They found that the bones in the back part of its spine are completely joined together. This makes its spine super strong, which helps it "swim" through the sand. It also has a lot of fat around its shoulders and hips.
Where Northern Marsupial Moles Live
The northern marsupial mole lives in the sandy deserts of northwest Australia. This includes the Little Sandy Desert, the Great Sandy Desert, and the northern parts of the Gibson Desert.
Preferred Habitat
They love soft, loose sand, especially in sand dunes and sandy plains. They can't easily move through hard sand or rocky areas. Scientists think that the northern and southern marsupial moles might live in the same areas where their ranges overlap.
There are only about 300 specimens of these moles in museums. This makes it hard for scientists to know exactly where they all live. They seem to prefer areas with connected sand dunes. They are rarely found where dunes are separated. The areas they live in often have acacia trees and other tough shrubs, as well as spinifex grass.
Life in the Desert: Ecology
Scientists know very little about the habits of marsupial moles. They are thought to live alone. It's believed they only come out of the sand when it's wet.
Movement and Diet
When they move on the surface, they wiggle their bodies. They leave a winding trail in the sand, with light marks from their feet. It looks more like a reptile's trail than a mammal's! They can quickly disappear into the sand, even digging deep tunnels. One mole was lost right after being placed on the ground, even with many people trying to find it!
Their home is the hot, dry deserts of northwest Australia. They eat insect pupae and larvae, which are young insects. They especially like the larvae and pupae of ants and beetles. They catch and eat these underground, so they rarely need to come to the surface.
Predators and Impact on Environment
Sadly, the northern marsupial mole is hunted by introduced animals like the red fox and feral cats. They are also prey for dingoes, some birds of prey, snakes, and goannas. Long ago, people even used their fur for trade.
The moles' digging helps turn over the sand. This is important for the desert environment. They don't build burrows like other moles because the sand is too soft. Instead, they "swim" through the sand. As they tunnel, the sand falls in behind them. Their criss-cross paths can cover a huge area, moving a lot of sand!
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Because no northern marsupial mole has ever lived long in captivity, scientists don't know much about how they have babies. However, they have been seen with one or two offspring at a time.
An early attempt to keep a live mole involved putting it in a container of sand and feeding it bread. But it died within a day. Local Indigenous peoples who live in the same regions know a lot about these moles. They have shared information and helped collect them for curious visitors.
The marsupial mole looks a lot like the golden mole found in Africa. The golden mole is a placental mammal, not a marsupial. This is an example of convergent evolution, where different animals develop similar features because they live in similar environments.
Conservation Status
The IUCN Red List says the northern marsupial mole is of "Least Concern". This means its population is widespread and seems stable.
However, in Western Australia, it's considered "near threatened." It's also on a special list of rare species.
See also
In Spanish: Topo marsupial septentrional para niños
