European Mole - Habitat

Habitat

While moles are typically found in tunnel systems, they are not exclusively underground dwellers. In the spring and early summer when the young moles leave the mother’s burrows they must find new territory. They may make new tunnel systems or enter in existing old systems, but in the summer time they burrow much more superficially. This could be due to soil that is much harder, making burrowing a greater challenge.

Moles have been found to spend a lot of time at the sides of drainage lines and streams but do not inhabit flooded or dry soils. However, dry areas are important when their normal habitats become flooded. Types of soil, vegetation present, and altitude has no effect on the areas that moles choose to inhabit. The factor that greatly influences the mole population in a specific area is the abundance of earthworms. One would expect for the earthworm population to decrease as the moles feed, however no research has shown this to be true.

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