Naked Mole Rat – More Than Meets The Eye
**The Remarkable Naked Mole Rat: Nature’s Underground Marvel**
The naked mole rat (*Heterocephalus glaber*), a fascinating rodent native to East Africa, is renowned for its unique adaptations that facilitate survival in harsh underground environments. Typically measuring between 3 to 4 inches in length and weighing around 1.1 to 1.2 ounces, these creatures are easily recognizable by their hairless, gray-pink skin and small eyes, which contribute to their poor vision. Their short, thin legs enable them to navigate their extensive burrowing systems, which can stretch up to three miles in length. A distinctive feature of the naked mole rat is its ability to move both backward and forward with equal agility, showcasing their exceptional burrowing skills.
One of the most remarkable aspects of the naked mole rat is its physiological adaptations to low-oxygen environments. With small lungs and a unique blood composition that allows for efficient oxygen bonding, these rodents can thrive in the confined spaces of their tunnels. Their metabolic and respiration rates are notably low, and they can further decrease their metabolic activity to about 25% during periods of drought or food scarcity, ensuring their survival in challenging conditions. Socially, naked mole rats exhibit a complex hierarchical structure within their colonies, which can range from 20 to 200 individuals. Each colony is led by a single queen, who mates with one to three males, while the rest of the colony consists of sterile workers. This social structure not only aids in the efficient gathering of food, primarily large tubers found underground, but also ensures the continuity of the colony, as the queen can live for up to 18 years.
Interestingly, naked mole rats are not just a marvel of nature but also a valuable asset in scientific research. They are known for their remarkable resistance to cancer, making them a subject of interest in cancer studies. Their ability to consume their fecal matter, a behavior known as coprophagy, not only aids in nutrient recycling but also plays a role in their survival strategy. Despite their challenging living conditions, naked mole rats are not considered a threatened species and continue to thrive in their native habitats across Somalia, Kenya, and southern Ethiopia. Their unique biological and social characteristics continue to intrigue scientists and nature enthusiasts alike, solidifying their status as one of nature’s most remarkable underground dwellers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5DcOEzW1wA
The
naked mole rat
(
Heterocephalus glaber
) is a
rodent
, known for its burrowing and is indigenous to East Africa. The mole rat possesses a number of characteristics which allow it to survive in underground and harsh environments.
The average naked mole rat is between 3 to 4 inches (8 to 10 centimeters) in length and weighs between 1.1 and 1.2 ounces (30 to 35 grams). They have small eyes, poor sight, and have legs that are quite short and thin. They are also able to move backward and forward at the same quick pace and have large teeth that allow them to dip. The term “naked” comes from the fact that they have very little hair and gray-pink skin.
The species is highly adapted to situations in which oxygen is limited within tunnels of their habitat. The lungs are small and their blood is greatly able to bond oxygen. They have very low metabolic and respiration rates. During periods of drought and hunger, the metabolic can decrease further to about 25% of its normal level.
The naked mole rat lives predominantly in the dry tropical grasslands in East Africa with large concentrations being concentrated in Somalia, Kenya, and southern Ethiopia. Groups of around 80 individual mole rats (although it can be as few as 20 and as many as 200) live within a complex burrowing system within the African desert. These tunnel systems can be quite long, between two to three miles in length.
There is a complex hierarchical structure where one queen and between 1 and 3 males reproduce, the other naked mole rats are workers and sterile. Dimorphism exists between the males, two forms of workers (tunnel digging/gathering and soldiers), and the breeding males. The breeding males and the queen can keep up their relationship for several years. The queens can live for a period of between 13 and 18 years and are quite hostile towards other females. Upon the death of the queen, another female will become queen in her place.
The naked mole rat mostly eats large tubers that they find underground during their mining exhibitions. However, they are also known for eating their own fecal matter. One tuber, depending upon its size, can feed a colony for several months or years as they only eat the inside of the tuber. They leave the outer parts so that the tuber is able to regenerate.
Naked mole rats are currently not a threatened species. Although their living conditions are tough, they are a widespread species.
Naked mole rats help in cancer research, because they never get cancer (
read here
).
