The Golden Mole, or moles in the family Chrysochloridae, was first discovered 250 years ago. However, there is still a lot unknown about them due to their shy nature and remote habitats. There are 21 known species of Golden Mole, all of which are native to South Africa and can be found there only. Since they need specific sand consistencies they are limited to certain locations, and end up rather clumped together. However, different species of the mole rarely coexist, preferring to find their own habitats over sharing one.

The Golden Mole’s most charming feature is that they are completely blind to the point of evolving to have no eyes at all, now completely covered over with furry skin. They are burrowing animals so closely resembling Australian marsupial moles that they were once thought to be related. In certain kinds of Golden Mole, their burrowing systems may contain up to 800 feet of tunnels. Despite their name, they come in colours ranging from a pale yellow to black – the ‘Golden’ refers instead to the iridescent aspect of their fur, and they range from 8-20cm in size. They are insectivores that mostly eat termites, millipedes, and earthworms. They have a large, leathery pad that protects their nose when digging. Golden Moles move beneath the surface of sand and come up to eat insects on the surface, noticing their prey’s locations from minute vibrations thanks to their impeccable hearing, their heads working as an amplifier of sound.