Talpa europaea; the Mole (Muddywarp)
One of the well known mammals of the UK, the mole is also one of the most hidden from us as it lives almost exclusively underground; if it didn't emerge periodically leaving telltale molehills it would likely never be seen.
The common mole is one of three mole species to live in Europe, but the only one in the UK. As you can see from its claws it has well adapted to its lifestyle; it feeds primarily on earthworms which it may store in chambers after paralysing them with venom but other invertebrates like centipedes and millipedes feature. It's main predators are tawny owls (Strix aluco) and stoats (Mustela erminea), but these incidences are probably not common. The stoat is an able hunter underground but the tawny owl obviously isn't. The UK population is estimated at 31,000,000 with some indications that it is declining.
The common mole is one of three mole species to live in Europe, but the only one in the UK. As you can see from its claws it has well adapted to its lifestyle; it feeds primarily on earthworms which it may store in chambers after paralysing them with venom but other invertebrates like centipedes and millipedes feature. It's main predators are tawny owls (Strix aluco) and stoats (Mustela erminea), but these incidences are probably not common. The stoat is an able hunter underground but the tawny owl obviously isn't. The UK population is estimated at 31,000,000 with some indications that it is declining.