Today, we have a lot of knowledge about large mammals, such as the bear, the tiger or the dog. However, there are other small animals that do not exceed 20 centimeters in length and that are almost imperceptible to our eyes, since they live in unusual places. They are not less important for that, so they also deserve our full attention.
As a clear example we find moles, which are usually classified as animals that lack vision. However, in this article on our site, we will learn how these small mammals see, because Are moles really blind?
Characteristics of moles
Moles are subterranean mammals belonging to the thalpid family of the order Eulipotyphla. These animals are found in various Eurasian countries and in North America where they dig tunnels taking advantage of the soft, nutrient-rich soil. They spend practically their entire lives underground, since this offers them greater protection against their biggest predators, such as birds. They only go outside to recognize the environment in which they are or to hunt some insects. However, their diet consists mainly of worms, which they bite at first and then store inside their self-made tunnels to consume at any time.
They are characterized by their small size (2-15 centimeters), their stocky body, a long snout with which they sniff very well food and sharp ridge-like teeth with which they tear worms or other small animals. It is also known for its shovel-shaped forelimbs, which are used to move around by digging into the substrate. However, the most peculiar thing about the mole is its eyes and its vision, as we will see below.
If you want to know more animals that live underground, we encourage you to read this other article on Animals that live underground.
What are moles' eyes like?
We can think that moles do not have eyes, since they are not noticeable to the naked eye even when they are up close. However, the truth is that they do have these basic and functional organs involved in vision, but they are so small that they are practically imperceptible.
There are different hypotheses for this fact, including their decrease throughout evolution due to the mere fact that they are not useful for living undergroundor their reduction so that they are not damaged in the underground places where they live. In addition, the eyes of moles are covered by a dense layer of hair and a dermal cuticle that protects them. In short, it can be said that they are closed under the skin , although, as we will see, this does not mean that they do not perceive light.
Are moles blind? Why?
The covering of the organs specialized in the vision of the mole that we mentioned earlier and that therefore gives these animals a closed-eyed appearance due to the absence of eyelids, leads us to think that they are totally blind. Actually this is not the case, because they can perceive light, since the internal structures of the eyes are functional and, although the vision is not very good, at least can distinguish between periods of darkness and brighter periods
In addition, the poor vision of moles has also been proven by scientific studies, which have shown that inside the eye of these animals there is a defect consisting of the poor or incomplete development of the lens fibers, a structure responsible for focusing objects that are at different distances.
This poor or atrophied vision does not entail great disadvantages for moles, since in places where light practically does not reach, such as the underground tunnels dug by them, their eyes play little role. important.
The developed senses of moles
Now that we know that moles' eyesight is not their best quality, you may wonder how they can relate to their surroundings and find food easily. The truth is that they have three highly developed senses that do serve them well underground: smell, hearing and touch
Although they can hear the movements of their prey and smell them thanks to their flexible snout, their sense of touch is the most highly developed. Thanks to the presence of some tactile hairs or "vibrissae" present in different areas of the body, such as the limbs, face or tail, they can perceive air currents and information about the environment when coming into contact with everything that surrounds it. Thus, thanks to their vibrissae and their sensory function, moles can calculate the presence and distance of different objects or their prey.
In short, although these small mammals practically remain with their eyes closed and lack good vision, they can carry out a very good hypogeal life, since they have other senses well adapted for searching for food and protection from predators.
