Scientists from South Africa recently spotted “presumably extinct” mole species for the first time in 87 years. Known as De Winton’s golden mole, the animal was discovered alongside the country’s west coast.
The scientists have tracked De Winton’s golden mole since 2021 and confirmed the existence of four specimens. They shared their research in a study published in the journal Biodiversity and Conservation back in November.
According to the Smithsonian magazine, De Winton’s golden mole was last seen in 1936.
“Though many people doubted that De Winton’s golden mole was still out there, I had good faith that the species had not yet gone extinct,” said Cobus Theron, senior conservation manager for the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) in South Africa and one of the scientists who took part in the project.
De Winton’s golden mole is blind but has remarkable hearing that gives it the ability to locate its prey. They also cover their tracks well, with their tunnels being untraceable, which is one of the reasons why they are so hard to find.
The team that was trying to track down De Winton’s golden mole used various methods to locate the animal. They surveyed local communities while also turning to a border collie named Jessie to assist them in their search.
