| The largest moles in North America, weighing in at 100—171 g, Townsend's Moles live only in the lowlands on the western side of the Cascade Mountains, from northwestern California to extreme southwestern British Columbia. One population occurs in alpine meadows in the Olympic Mountains of Washington. The fur of this species is particularly soft and velvety and was once used commercially. Townsend's Moles excavate permanent deep, extensive tunnels as well as temporary ones on the surface. These excavations result in large mounds; as many as 805 mounds per hectare have been reported.
Also known as:
Snow Mole
Sexual Dimorphism:
Males are larger than females.
Length:
Average:
225 mm males; 196 mm females
Range:
207-237 mm males; 183-209 mm females
Weight:
Average:
142 g males; 87 g females
Range:
100-171 g males; 50-110 g females
References:
Bachman, J., 1839. Description of several new species of American quadrupeds, p. 58. Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, Part 1, 8:57-74.
Links:
Mammal Species of the World
Click here for The American Society of Mammalogists species account
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