Where does the naked mole-rat live?
The naked mole-rat is a burrowing rodent native to the Horn of Africa and parts of Kenya, notably in Somali regions. It is found in Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia. It lives in tunnel systems that can stretch 3 to 5 kilometres in cumulative length. It is the only species in its genus.
What does the naked mole-rat eat?
It feeds primarily on very large tubers, weighing as much as a thousand times the body weight of a typical mole-rat. Colonies average 75 to 80 individuals, but may contain more than 300. Only one female, the queen, and one to three males reproduce, while the rest of the colony function as workers. This is called eusociality, which is known in mammals only in this species and the Damaraland mole-rat.
Is the naked mole-rat endangered?
No: the IUCN lists it as Least Concern. It is a remarkable animal: it is the only mammalian thermoconformer, it lacks pain sensitivity in its skin, and it is resistant to cancer and oxygen deprivation. It can live longer than 30 years in captivity, longer than any other rodent.
