Australia is known for being home to all sorts of unique animals. One of them is a gold-colored Marsupial mole, which “swims” through the sand and rarely goes above the ground. The sightings of the mole are super rare and happen just a few times over the course of a decade.
But earlier this month, rangers from Martu organization Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa had the opportunity to come face to face with this elusive mole. One of the rangers even snapped a few photos, which were later shared on the organization’s official Facebook page.
According to the post, this was the second time in six months that Marsupial mole was spotted in Western Australia’s Martu Ngurra region.
“Unlike most burrowing mammals that leave hollow tunnels behind, Kakarratul carve a path and fill it in as they go, squeezing their body forward through the sand. Despite being blind, they expertly navigate the underground and use their calloused nose and forehead as a ram to burrow,” Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa shared.
Marsupial mole spends most of its life underground, reaching depths of eight feet below the surface. It doesn’t need much oxygen and mostly breathes the air that flows between the air grains. Due to its rare sightings, this mole largely remains a mystery for scientists and researchers.
