The most unusual mole in the world: why did the stargazer need such a nose

Unfortunately, in our country such a beast cannot be found. Starfish lives only in the northeastern regions of North America. At the same time, for life, starfish prefer areas with moist soil, sometimes even boggy and always close to the reservoir.

North American Starfish Habitat

Stargazer (Latin Condylura cristata) is a small animal of the mole family. Its dimensions do not exceed 10-13 centimeters. Like his closest relatives, the starfish lives in the earth, building numerous passages. Interestingly, these underground galleries are built in accordance with their purpose and are located at different depths. Close to the surface there are corridors for hunting: in the surface layer of the soil there are more various organisms suitable for food. And at a lower level are shelter moves intended for life and raising offspring. In addition to the main house, moles equip intermediate burrows for rest, filling them with leaves and moss.

The underground lifestyle determines the appearance of the animal: spade-shaped forelimbs, long claws, small, almost blind eyes and a narrow muzzle without auricles. Its unusual nose is decorated with 22 leather processes, which are the organs of touch. The nose serves the animal not only for orientation in the underground space, but also for the study of objects at the time of suitability for food. In complete darkness, your eyes will not help you recognize if you come across anything edible, or you need to dig further. But such a wonderful nose, which this mole has, is just a gift of fate.

At the ends of each of the 22 processes, nerve endings are located, and the nose itself is saturated with a dense network of blood vessels.

But the stunning nose is not the only interesting feature of the North American starfish. He, unlike his relatives, is an excellent swimmer and often hunts under water. Its food is earthworms, various larvae and small insects. He does not hibernate, but with the onset of winter he continues to lead an active life: he hunts, digs in the snow, digs underground passages or swims under the ice.

Stargazers are very sociable and maintain close contact with relatives not only during the breeding season. Sometimes they even live in small groups of several individuals. Once a year, the female brings posterity - from 3 to 7 moles. They are born almost bald, but with a characteristic star-shaped nose.

Life expectancy of unusual moles is small, only 3-4 years. Being predators, stargazers often themselves become prey for owls or mammals.