J is for Juliana's Golden Mole

No, I'm not cheating here. I don't have a friend Juliana, and this isn't her mole.

Holy hell, that beast looks like a Silent Hill monster.

I'll let Wikipedia describe what nightmares looks like: "[The Golden Moles] have shiny coats of dense fur and a streamlined, formless appearance. They have no visible eyes or ears; in fact, they are blind - the small eyes are covered with hairy skin. The ears are small and are hidden in the animal's fur."

Formless, no visible eyes or ears, hairy skin, WHAT IN GOD'S NAME ARE IT'S FEET MADE OUT OF, describes, to me, something that only H.P. Lovecraft could dream up.

All right, I'm being a little melodramatic. It's not nearly as frightening as what you might find in the deep ocean. Or rummaging through your garbage can. But still, this critically endangered mole is it's own kind of creepy.

Like many endangered species, Juliana's Golden Mole, native to southern Africa, is the victim of displacement. It has a very specialized habitat which is being encroached upon by humans, and they have been unable to adapt to habitat loss.


Photo (C) Craig Jackson