A large number of different creatures live under the surface of the soil. All of them are ideally adapted to certain living conditions.

Naked digger

This rodent is small in size, and it belongs to the family of diggers. The main difference is cold-bloodedness, increased resistance to the conditions of the underground world. Naked digger- This is one of the longest-lived rodents, because it is able to successfully live up to 28 years. His appearance turns out to be truly terrible.

This underground dweller ready to amaze with its size:

  • body length according to the minimum value is 25 centimeters, and according to the maximum - 35;
  • weight reaches one kilogram.

The body color can be ocher-brown, gray-yellow or light. In any case, the appearance cannot be considered pleasant.

The giant mole rat only leads underground and sedentary life, and he tries to lay multi-tiered passages. To make moves, cutters are used.

The average characteristics of underground residential facilities for a giant mole rat are provided:

  • the diameter of the feed passages ranges between 11 and 16 centimeters;
  • depth does not exceed 50 centimeters;
  • sandy layers of soil are used for laying passages;
  • special ejecta appear on the soil surface, made in the form of truncated cones. At the same time, their height is about 30 - 50 centimeters, and their weight is 10 kilograms;
  • the length of the aft tunnels can be 500 meters;
  • the tunnels include numerous additional objects that are located at a depth of no more than three meters. At the same time, the underground inhabitant cannot approach more than 90 centimeters to the ground surface.

The giant mole rat is one of the most powerful and formidable inhabitants of the underworld. This proves the presence of terrible teeth that can break even a shovel.

Mole

The mole is an insectivorous and mammalian creature. In most cases, moles live in Eurasia, but they can also be found in North America.

In moles, sizes surprise with their diversity:

  • the minimum length is 5 centimeters, the maximum is twenty-one;
  • weight - from nine to one hundred and seventy grams.

Moles are ideally adapted to the underground lifestyle, so they are ready to dig numerous passages.

Main visual differences:

  • elongated body shape;
  • the body is covered with thick and even fur, which can be velvety;
  • fur coat pile always grows only straight.

Moles are able to successfully move underground in any direction, making successful moves.

Tuko-tuko - rodents of small sizes:

  • weight - 700 grams;
  • body length does not exceed 25 centimeters;
  • the length of the tail is about eight centimeters.

Such dimensions are direct evidence that tuko-tuko are ideally adapted to underground life. In addition, rodents are actually ready to build various residential objects from soil and sand, ideally adapted for the permanent residence of tuko-tuko.

Gopher

Gopher is an underground inhabitant that can be found on the territory Central America. It has the following dimensions:

  • length - 9 - 35 centimeters;
  • tail - 4 - 14 centimeters;
  • weight - 1 kilogram.

In most cases, gophers live underground, and their habitation most often includes complex underground passages. It is assumed that the passages are laid in different horizons of the soil. The length of the tunnels often reaches 100 meters.

The spotted snake belongs to the cylindrical family. It has a small size and a dense body, characterized by black color and the presence of brown rows. The spotted snake is able to lead only an underground lifestyle, and earthworms become the basis of its diet.

Carp fish prefers to live at the very bottom of the reservoir. If the reservoir suddenly dries up, the fish is ready to burrow into the silt, and the maximum depth sometimes reaches 10 meters. It is this habitat that becomes one of the most convenient and attractive for painting.

Medvedka is large insect, whose body length can reach 5 centimeters. In this case, the visual differences will be as follows:

  • the size of the abdomen is 3 times larger than the cephalothorax;
  • the abdomen may be soft in structure and may be spindle-shaped;
  • diameter - 1 centimeter;
  • at the end of the abdomen, paired thin appendages of a filamentous form are visible.

The insect, first of all, tends to the underground way of life. Despite this, it is able to fly well, run on the ground and even swim. The insect almost never gets out on the surface of the earth. Even if the bear gets out to the surface, this happens at night.

The Maybug is a fairly small representative of the underworld:

  • length - 25 - 32 millimeters (adults may belong to the eastern or western Veda);
  • black dense body;
  • small red wings.

Adult individuals can appear on the surface of the earth in the second half of spring, and after this event, the life span does not exceed 1.5 months. Females die after they lay a few dozen eggs.

Mammals: badgers, foxes, marmots, ground squirrels and many other animals dig holes in which they hide from the weather and escape from enemies, perfectly adapting to this lifestyle.

Most of the inhabitants of the holes settle in ready-made dwellings left by previous owners.

But most mammals are engaged in the arrangement of comfortable housing on their own. They carefully put things in order, change the bedding and regularly clean their burrow.

Moles are the native inhabitants of the dungeon.

Moles (the genus Taira) are solitary in their way of life, the labyrinths of their underground corridors can occupy an area of ​​up to 1200 m 2. Ventilation shafts are located along the mole dwelling, a large chamber occupies a special place, which serves as a sleeping place for the mole.

Form families. The hole of this animal reaches a length of thirty meters and has several emergency exits. The badger willingly settles in quiet areas of the forest with soft soil, but its burrows are also found in the steppe or in the semi-desert. often on trees near the hole, the badger scratches the bark, leaving original marks, so the beast cleans and sharpens its claws.


wild rabbits have strong forepaws with which they dig their burrows. These animals are able to create huge underground galleries with numerous rooms, they can fit a large colony of rabbits.

It lives in the northeast and south of Australia, when it moves underground, it seems as if the animal is swimming underground. He rakes the ground in front of him, including in the work strong, pointed claws of the third and fourth fingers of the forelimbs. The mole pushes loose earth with its head, then rakes the soil under itself and with a quick movement of the whole body, the mole gracefully slips into the formed hole.


Foxes often choose a badger hole for settlement. But the owner does not even tolerate the smell of an unexpected tenant, so he leaves the dug hole and goes in search of a new place of settlement.

The marsupial mole, while digging a hole, creates temporary short feeding passages. After the passage of the animal on them, the earth crumbles. The marsupial chooses invertebrates in these time tunnels, they form the main part of its diet. In some cases, the marsupial mole is forced to get to the surface and dig a tunnel in a new place. The muzzle of the marsupial mole is covered with a keratinized shield.


The marsupial mole is an animal that is comfortable living only in the ground.

For many mammals, living underground brings tangible benefits. In winter, they hide from the cold in underground galleries, and when it's hot outside, they rest in cool holes from high temperature air. The burrow protects the animals from enemies and the cubs grow up under reliable protection.

One of the members of the family, the badger, digs underground storages. And the ferret and ermine can occupy other people's abandoned holes. The underground inhabitants also include rodents - gray rats, shrews and voles; representatives of the insectivorous order - moles.


Chipmunk - stores for the winter in his underground hole.

Moles come to the surface of the earth only to collect building material for the nest or when frost sets in, and basically spend most of their lives underground. Sometimes animals come to the surface to search for food. Moles have many enemies, they are hunted by many different predators, most often the animals become the prey of the red fox.

The badger eats a variety of foods. By way of life, this is a nocturnal animal. Its main delicacy is earthworms. African meerkats, living underground, come out to hunt during the day. The main food of these inhabitants African savannah- insects.

The burrow serves as the main refuge for animals living in countries with temperate climate, they are good to hide from the cold. And the desert dwellers escape the exhausting midday heat in their cool underground dwelling.

The shape of the body of underground inhabitants ideally matches the movement through the tunnels located underground. The muzzle of the mole is extended forward, and the large forelimbs with long claws resemble shovels, with which it is convenient for him to make holes underground. The body of the mole is slightly narrowed towards the tail, such a peculiar body shape provides forward movement forward, like a rotor, and at the same time helps to push the excavated earth to the walls of the tunnel. The mole pushes the remaining soil with its hind legs. The mole’s eyesight is very weak, it’s not for nothing that they say: “blind as a mole,” but underground, such an important, it would seem, flaw does not prevent him from leading active image life and finds earthworms.


Wombats are skilled diggers of underground tunnels.

Eight species of badgers are known, all of them have a strong body with short legs, and the fur cover is distinguished by its thick wool. Their claws are retractable and very strong; this is an important adaptation for digging deep holes. An animal similar to a badger lives in Australia. They call him a wombat. The female wombat has a pouch on her belly that opens backwards, while other marsupials, such as kangaroos, open forward. When digging holes, clay and sand do not get into such a bag.

It digs underground tunnels with one or the other front paw, its forelimbs are very short, but the claws are powerful and hard.

In the tropical regions of Asia, Bengal and Indian bandicoots live. The size of these animals is small, they also live underground. The ears of bandicoots are relatively small in size; their eyesight is weak: all this is necessary for an underground lifestyle, because underground sight and hearing are not so important for living, leading role smell plays.


With the onset of the cold season, many animals hibernate, for this they arrange winter bedrooms underground. But real hibernation is not characteristic of all types of mammals that live underground. Chipmunk prepare for hibernation very carefully. He equips himself with a special storage for the winter and clogs the entrance to the hole so tightly so that the cold does not get inside, that there is a chance of suffocating in winter from a lack of oxygen.

But instinct saves the animals in this harsh time, they usually wake up at the moment when oxygen deficiency occurs in the wintering chamber. The corridors in the chipmunk burrow are well isolated, their length reaches 7 m, one of them ends with a nesting chamber, in which the animals mate immediately after waking up from hibernation and the onset of heat.

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Animals underground Badgers, foxes and many other animals dig holes in which they hide from bad weather and escape from enemies. These mammals are perfectly adapted to this lifestyle. Most animals that live underground settle in ready-made burrows left by previous residents. However, most mammals themselves are engaged in arranging their own housing. They conscientiously take care of the order and regularly clean their burrow, changing the bedding. Moles (genus Taira) lead a solitary life in a labyrinth of underground corridors that can cover an area of ​​up to 1200 m2. Visible from the outside, the molehills contain ventilation shafts or a large chamber that is designed for sleeping. Badgers live in families. An ordinary burrow reaches thirty meters in diameter and has several exits. The badger settles more readily in quiet areas of the forest with soft soil, but it can also be found in the steppe or in semi-desert regions. On the trees not far from its burrow, traces of the badger's claws are visible - in this way the animal cleans or sharpens its claws. Wild rabbits dig holes with strong forepaws. They are able to build large galleries with numerous rooms in which a large colony of these animals can live. The marsupial mole, which lives in the northeast and south of Australia, moves underground in a special way - it seems as if the animal is swimming. The mole loosens the ground in front of it, quickly working with strong, pointed claws of the third and fourth fingers of the forelimbs. Then the mole pushes it away with its head and rakes the soil under itself, making quick movements with its whole body, the mole deftly slips into the dug hole. Sometimes foxes settle in a part of the Badger Hole. The badger does not tolerate their smell, so it is often forced to leave its hole. The marsupial mole digs temporary short feeding passages. After the animal passes over them, the earth crumbles. In these temporary tunnels, the marsupial mole searches underground for invertebrates, which form the bulk of its menu. Sometimes a marsupial mole gets out to the surface and continues to dig a tunnel in a new place. The muzzle of the marsupial mole is protected by a keratinized shield. For many mammals, living underground provides tangible benefits. In cold weather, they hide from the cold in underground galleries, and when it's hot outside, they hide from the heat. In addition, the animals are protected from enemies and can safely raise their young. Many representatives of the mustelid family dig underground storages (for example, a badger), or occupy other people's abandoned burrows, as ferrets and stoats do. Rodents also live underground - gray rats, voles and shrews; insectivores - moles. Moles spend most of their lives underground. They come to the surface in order to collect building material for the nest or if frost sets in, then the animals go outside to search for food. Moles are preyed upon by many different predators, including red foxes. The badger is practically omnivorous. He leads a nocturnal lifestyle. The badger just loves to eat earthworms. Other underground animals, such as African meerkats, come out to hunt during the day. They feed mainly on insects. Animals living in countries with a temperate climate hide in burrows from the cold. And the desert dwellers hide underground from the exhausting midday heat. The body shape of mammals that lead an underground lifestyle is ideal for moving through underground tunnels. So, the mole has a pointed mouth and spade-shaped forelimbs with long claws, with which it is convenient for him to dig the ground. The body of the mole tapers slightly towards the tail. Thanks to this shape, it moves forward like a rotor, and at the same time pushes a part of the excavated earth to the walls of the tunnel. The mole moves the remnants of the soil to the hind legs and rejects them back. The vision of the mole is practically undeveloped, but such an important, it would seem, flaw does not prevent him from leading an active lifestyle. All eight types of badgers have a strong body with short legs, which is covered with thick short hair. Their claws are very strong, not retractable, perfectly adapted for digging. In Australia, the corresponding badger is the wombat. The bag, which is located on the belly of the female wombat, does not open forward, as in most marsupials (for example, in kangaroos), but backwards. Thanks to this, during the digging of tunnels, clay and sand do not get into it. The forelimbs of the wombat are very short, with hard claws. The wombat digs with one or the other front paw. In the tropical regions of Asia live Bengal and Indian bandicoots. These small animals also live underground. Bandicoots have comparatively small ears; their eyesight is poor: all this is a consequence of the underground way of life, because under the ground the sense of smell is more important than sight and hearing. Many animals, during the cold season, hibernate, arrange winter chambers underground. But not all types of mammals living underground fall into real hibernation. So, the chipmunk falls into hibernation. He is preparing a special storage for himself for the winter. Chipmunks close the entrance to the hole so tightly that the cold does not get inside, sometimes they suffocate from lack of oxygen. But usually they instinctively wake up at the moment when oxygen runs out in the “sleeping” ones. Well-insulated corridors in the chipmunk burrow are 7 m long, one of them passes into the nesting chamber, as the animals mate immediately after waking up from hibernation.

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Many animals spend almost all, and sometimes all of their lives underground. They live in burrows underground rivers and lakes or directly in the soil under our feet. They have adapted well to this form of life, having developed, for example, strong limbs for digging underground passages and an excellent sense of smell and touch, which helps them to forage in the dark.

Many of them are completely blind, while others have no eyes at all. Worms, like many other soil animals, feed on roots and decayed plant remains, while moles, in turn, prefer worms.

Moles

Moles mainly live underground, in a whole system of underground tunnels, which can be up to 180 m long and which must be well ventilated. Therefore, the mole, with its wide front paws, like a shovel, digs the ground until it gets to the surface. It leaves the holes open so that air can enter the passages and circulate in them. The mounds of earth thrown to the surface by moles are nothing but the entrance to the ventilation shafts.

How do moles move underground?

Although moles are found throughout much of Eurasia and North America, they are rarely seen because they spend most of their time underground. Breaking through passages in search of earthworms, insect larvae and other prey, moles, as it were, swim through the soil, throwing the earth to the sides with paddle-shaped front paws with powerful claws. A sensitive tip of the nose and a subtle sense of smell help them navigate the dark dungeon. The ability to sense ground vibrations allows it to detect prey and hide from enemies.

But the vision of moles is poorly developed. Tiny eyes, in some species covered with skin, apparently, are only able to distinguish light from darkness.

digger

The naked mole rat lives in the African savanna. More than a hundred of these small, mouse-sized animals gather in one hole underground. They are completely blind, but their eyes are sensitive to the movement of air, which allows them to immediately detect which underground galleries are damaged and in need of urgent repair.

cave dragon

Painted in pale pink tones with light red gills, proteas are 30 cm long. They are relatives of salamanders. Proteas live in complete darkness in underground rivers and lakes. At birth, Proteus larvae have eyes, which are subsequently covered with a film: they are not needed in a dark cave. Unfortunately pollution environment leads to a change in their habitat, threatening the existence of Proteus.

The bats

thousands bats they rest in caves or crevices of rocks, hanging upside down and holding tightly with their paws to the vaults and walls of caves. Bats hunt only at night. They find their prey using echolocation. They make a series of high-frequency sounds (ultrasounds) and then listen to the echo, that is, the reflection of the sound from some kind of obstacle, such as an insect. Thanks to echolocation the bats can hunt in total darkness. People do not hear these sounds, but some insects can catch them from afar and immediately hide. Bat droppings (guano) that they produce in in large numbers, feed on many blind beetles and other invertebrates. In many countries, guano is used as a fertilizer.

A lot of animals and insects live under the surface of the earth, we present to your attention the rating of the Top 10 creatures that live underground

A small burrowing rodent of the digger family. Differs in a social structure unique for mammals, cold-bloodedness, insensitivity to acids, insensitivity to pain, endurance to CO2 concentrations. It is the longest-lived of the rodents up to 28 years. Look at him, he's terrible.

2.


The largest representative of the mole rat subfamily: its body length is 25-35 cm, weight reaches 1 kg. The coloration of the upper body is light, gray-yellow or ocher-brown. He leads a strictly underground, settled way of life, building multi-tiered systems of passages. Digs the earth mainly with incisors. Underground fodder passages (11-16 cm in diameter) are laid at a depth of 20-50 cm, often in layers of sand. On the surface of the earth, they are indicated by soil ejections in the form of truncated cones 30-50 cm high, weighing 10 kg or more. The total length of the feed tunnels reaches 500 meters. Nesting chambers and pantries are located at a depth of 0.9 to 3 m. I have come across such a comrade, he has terrible teeth, do not even try to pick him up, with his teeth he is able to bend the bayonet of a shovel.


class mammals order insectivores. Widely distributed in Eurasia and North America. These are small and medium-sized insectivores: body length from 5 to 21 cm; weight from 9 to 170 g. Moles are adapted to an underground, burrowing lifestyle. Their body is elongated, rounded, covered with thick, even, velvety fur. The mole coat has unique property- her pile grows straight, and is not oriented in a certain direction. This allows the mole to easily move underground in any direction.


Small rodents, whose weight reaches 700 g. Body length 17-25 cm, tail 6-8 cm. Morphological features show a high degree adaptability to the underground way of life. They lead an underground lifestyle, building complex branched systems of passages with nesting chambers, pantries and latrines. For the construction of tuko-tuko, loose or sandy soils are preferred.


The body length of the gophers is from 9 to 35 cm, the tail is from 4 to 14 cm. The weight of some Central American species can reach a kilogram. Gophers spend most of their lives in difficult underground passages laid in different horizons of the soil. The length of such tunnels reaches 100 meters.


Cylindrical snake family. It has a small size and a dense constitution. The body is black with two rows of large brown ones. Leads an underground lifestyle, feeds on earthworms.


The fish, which spends most of the time in the bottom mule, and when the reservoir dries up, crucian carp burrows into the silt to a depth of 1 to 10 meters and can live in this state for several years.


large insect, body length (without whiskers and cerci) up to 5 centimeters. The abdomen is about 3 times larger than the cephalothorax, soft, spindle-shaped, with a diameter of about 1 cm in adults. At the end of the abdomen, paired filamentous appendages are visible - cerci, up to 1 cm long. The insect leads a predominantly underground lifestyle, but it flies well, runs on the ground and floats. Rarely gets out to the surface, mainly at night.


The length of adult individuals (imago) of the eastern species is 25-28 mm, western 26-32 mm. The body is black, with red-brown elytra. In the adult stage (imago), the beetles appear on the surface of the earth at the end of April or May and live for about 5-7 weeks. After about 2 weeks, mating takes place, after which the female begins to lay eggs, placing them underground at a depth of 10-20 cm. This process can take place in several steps, and a full clutch is 60-80 eggs. Having finished laying, the female May beetle immediately dies.


The body of earthworms is up to 2 m long and consists of many annular segments 80 - 300. When moving, earthworms rely on short bristles located on each segment except the front. The number of setae varies from 8 to several tens. earthworms live on all continents except Antarctica, however, only some species originally had a wide geographical range, the rest were introduced by humans.