Townsend's mole
Kingdom
Phylum
Subphylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Scapanus townsendii
Weight
100-170
3.5-6
goz
g oz 
Length
179-237
7-9.3
mminch
mm inch 

The Townsend's mole (Scapanus townsendii ) is a fossorial mammal in the family Talpidae, and is the largest North American mole. It was named after the American naturalist John Kirk Townsend. The name was selected at the request of Thomas Nuttall as a patronym to honor Townsend's contribution.

No

Nocturnal

Ca

Carnivore

Ve

Vermivorous

Fo

Fossorial

Te

Terrestrial

Te

Territorial

Po

Polygynandry

Po

Polygamy

So

Solitary

No

Not a migrant

T

starts with

Appearance

It has velvety black fur, a pointed snout and a short, thick, a tail with barely any hair. It is about 21 cm (8.3 in) in length including a 4 cm (1.6 in) tail, and weighs about 138 grams (4.9 oz). Its front paws are broad and spade-shaped, specialized for digging; the rear paws are smaller. It has 44 teeth. Its ears are not visible and it has small eyes. It is similar in appearance to the smaller coast mole.

Distribution

Geography

Continents
Biogeographical realms

It is found in open lowland and wooded areas with moist soils along the Pacific coast from southwestern British Columbia to northwestern California. This animal's total range in Canada is estimated to be 20 km² (7.7 sq mi).

Townsend's mole habitat map

Climate zones

Townsend's mole habitat map
Townsend's mole

Habits and Lifestyle

Seasonal behavior

Diet and Nutrition

Mating Habits

MATING BEHAVIOR
PREGNANCY DURATION
4 to 6 weeks
BABY CARRYING
1 to 4
INDEPENDENT AGE
30 to 36 days

Population

Conservation

Townsend's mole is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN; however, in Canada it is considered an endangered species.

References

1. Townsend's mole Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Townsend's_mole
2. Townsend's mole on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/41475/22322352

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