Subterranean activity often raises questions about the animals responsible for tunnels and mounds. Many wonder if moles, known for their extensive burrowing, inhabit Arizona’s arid landscapes. This article clarifies common misconceptions about burrowing animals in the region by comparing their needs to the local environment.
Are Moles Found in Arizona?
True moles are not found in Arizona’s natural environments. Their survival depends on specific habitat requirements, largely absent across the state’s diverse ecosystems. Moles require consistently moist, loose soil for easy tunneling and a rich supply of primary food sources, such as earthworms and soil-dwelling insects.
Arizona’s arid climate, with its compact, rocky soils, does not support these conditions, as the scarcity of consistent moisture limits earthworm populations. While isolated, heavily irrigated areas might temporarily offer suitable soil, these instances are rare and do not sustain widespread mole populations. Consequently, most subterranean activity observed in Arizona is attributed to other burrowing species.
Mistaken Identities: Other Burrowing Animals
Many other burrowing animals thrive in Arizona’s environment and are often mistaken for moles due to their underground activities. These creatures create tunnels and mounds resembling mole signs. Understanding their distinct characteristics helps differentiate them from true moles.
Pocket gophers are common burrowers in Arizona, creating fan-shaped or crescent-shaped mounds of soil. Unlike moles, which are insectivores with large front paws adapted for digging, gophers are rodents with prominent external cheek pouches for carrying food. They primarily consume plant roots and tubers. Their burrows are deeper than mole tunnels, designed for food storage and nesting rather than extensive foraging networks.
Ground squirrels, another prevalent group, construct elaborate burrow systems. While often seen above ground, their burrows provide shelter and protection from predators and extreme temperatures. These small rodents are distinguishable by their visible eyes, ears, and tails, features not found on true moles. Their tunnels have multiple entrances, and excavated soil is spread out rather than forming distinct mounds.
Kangaroo rats and pocket mice are smaller, nocturnal rodents that create complex burrows, particularly in sandy soils. These animals are adapted to desert life, conserving water and storing seeds in their underground chambers. Their burrows are much smaller than those of gophers or ground squirrels. They are easily identified by their long tails, large hind legs for hopping, and external cheek pouches, setting them apart from a mole’s fossorial lifestyle and appearance.