Naked Mole Rat

The naked mole rat (Heterocephalus glaber), also known as the sand puppy and desert mole rat, is a burrowing rodent.

Size: Naked mole rats are three inches long and weigh 30-70 grams.

Life Span: The average lifespan of the Naked Mole-Rat is 13 years.

Color: Naked mole rats have very little hair. They have grayish-pink wrinkled skin.

Continent: Africa

Range: Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia

Habitat: Naked mole rats live in underground tunnels and burrow in semi-arid, grassy regions. The naked mole rat in found exclusively in arid conditions and can build burrows in a variety of soil types.

Food: Naked mole rats are classified as herbivorous. Their diet consists of tubers and roots.

Reproduction: The naked mole rat family has only one female breeder known as the queen, and one to three male breeders. The queen is pregnant for 70-80 days and gives birth to a litter of 10-27 pups.

Fun Facts: Naked mole rats are the only known mammal to be eusocial like termites and ants, with a caste system. Naked mole rats eat their own and each other’s droppings. This may provide extra protein and essential nutrients lacking in the diet.