Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammal
- Order
- Eulipotyphla
- Family
- Talpidae
- Genus
- Scaptochirus
Habitat
This mole inhabits moist, loose soils in forests, grasslands, and agricultural areas of East Asia, including China, Korea, and Japan. It prefers regions with abundant vegetation and invertebrates, often in lowland and hilly terrains. They create extensive underground burrow systems for living and foraging.
Diet
The Short-faced mole primarily eats earthworms, insect larvae, and other soil invertebrates. It forages underground using its sensitive snout to detect prey, and feeding activity peaks at night or during twilight. They consume their food items whole or in parts within their tunnels.
Behavior
Short-faced moles are solitary and territorial, defending their burrow systems from intruders. They are primarily nocturnal, spending most of their time underground digging tunnels for foraging and nesting. These moles exhibit rapid burrowing behavior to escape threats and search for food.
Conservation Status
The Short-faced mole is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, with a stable population trend. Major threats include habitat destruction from agriculture and urbanization.