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The Giant Golden Mole Walter Poduschka

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The Giant Golden Mole Walter Poduschka 232 Oryx group was spotted about half way from group of 2 going north. It is possible that Cape Tuxen to the Argentine Islands. some the animals or groups were sighted This group did not appear to be swim- more than once. As in the Grandidier ming in a definite direction, but made off Channel, the groups of three were each north when approached by a dinghy. composed of two large whales and one On 21st March in the Errera Channel (a small one. narrow waterway leading off the Gerlache Although it was not possible to make Strait), just off Danco Island, humpbacks worthwhile estimates of the lengths of the were in sight more or less continuously whales seen, I believe that in the case of while the ship lay at anchor between 10.30 the trios, the large whale which was and 16.00. There was a lot of ice about and closely followed by the smaller one, it was not possible to keep individual represented mother-calf pairs. If each groups under observation for long sighting represents a separate animal, the periods. However, 13 whales were logged: 5 presumed calves seen represent about 18 one group of 3 going south; two groups of per cent of the total observed, an 2 going south; and a single whale going encouraging indication of the regenera- south; one group of 3 going north and one tion of the stock. The Giant Golden Mole Walter Poduschka The South African giant golden mole has been seen by few people; scientifically it is almost unknown. After two visits to South Africa to look for it, in 1978 and 1980, the author, who is Chairman of the IUCN/SSC Insectivore Group, fears that it may already be extinct in the Transkei through loss of its forest habitat, and that the same fate is to be feared in the Ciskei. Another black spot in the long history of seen another specimen. As far as we mankind ruthlessly destroying nature is at know, this mole lives only in dense, hand. The fate of the giant golden mole relatively humid primary forests, unlike Chrysospalax trevelyani of South Africa is its nearest relative, C. villosus, which not only precarious but probably beyond occurs also in grassland. hope; another member of the most basic It is about 20cms long, has a dense, mammalian group, the Insectivores, will reddish-brown fur with a peculiar metalic soon be gone. Hardly anything is known glimmer, and a slate grey or yellowish about its biology, hardly anybody has ever underfur. The eyes are reduced and seen it alive. The only existing photo- covered by fur, the molars zalambdodont graphs of a live specimen were taken by an (triangular), which indicates a close rela- animal dealer - and nobody knows what tionship to some other African living happened to the specimen. Probably its fossils, the Malagasy tenrecs and the otter remains are in a private collection. So, shrews of Central Africa, Potamogalidae, only a drawing can give an impression of which also are only to be found in remote this strange animal, old as the hills. areas and are highly endangered. Not More than 100 years ago, in 1875, the many more than 100 C. trevelyani skulls giant golden mole was described by A. or skins exist in collections all over the Giinther, who wrote that this hitherto world. Apart from the South African unknown animal was brought to a Mr scientist J. Meester, who kept one speci- Herbert Trevelyan who accompanied a men for a few weeks (pers. comm.), shooting-party in the Pirie Forest near hardly anyone has studied it live. Very few King William's Town (British Caffraria) scientists have investigated it in the Pirie and believes that it must be very scarce or Forest and nobody has done so in those local, as none of his companions had ever sites nearby where other early specimens Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IP address: 170.106.202.8, on 01 Oct 2021 at 03:40:21, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605300017440 were collected. So nothing is known about sponsored by the South African Nature the animal's reproduction rate, gestation Foundation. In the Transkei I toured a period, litter size, or sex ratio - all most fair part of the surviving forests in places important and relevant for protection where specimens had formerly been col- measures. More than half the known lected, or were reported to have been specimens were collected in the last 106 found. The results were discouraging. years in areas now included in the Although the Transkei Government is sovereign state Transkei, the remainder anxious to protect its last forests, declare around East London and King William's them as national parks and fence them in, Town, focussing in the quiet undisturbed it has to be admitted that most are but a Pirie Forest. few miles across and irrevocably sepa- As Chairman of the Insectivore Group rated from each other. Some are on the of the Species Survival Commission rocky slopes of steep gorges, which for (SSC/IUCN), I have to be responsible for sure cannot be used to grow maize or any rare or endangered insectivore. In graze animals, but equally are no use for a October 1978 I visited the Transkei and golden mole to dig its tunnels. And in all Pirie Forest for the first time to learn unfenced forest areas, on hills or lower about the animal for myself and study its down, there are plenty of cattle and boys chances of survival.2 In Pirie Forest! saw with slingshots; no wild mammal or bird a fair number of the typical Chrysospalax has a chance. Other forests are turned molehills with their equally typical low over into quick-growing 'wood factories' inside temperature (113°C), but the forest where eucalyptus and pine have replaced is so small - only 8939 ha - that the the exploited natural forests. On this animal's long-term chances of survival are second visit to the Transkei, despite all my poor. A distribution map of the collecting searching, I could not find a single trace of sites - the first ever made - showed that Chrysospalax. But I did succeed in raising the whole home range (including the some interest there and local scientists Transkei) is hopelessly split up into small will try to discover some remote humid patches, and so of course is the available forests suitable for Chrysospalax, where gene pool. The species is now in the this harmless and antique animal, dating 'endangered' category in the IUCN Red back to at least the lower Miocene, could Data Book. possibly survive.5 In March/April 1981 I tried again, PIRIE FOREST AND MADEN LAKE Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IP address: 170.106.202.8, on 01 Oct 2021 at 03:40:21, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605300017440 234 Oryx After leaving the Transkei I toured homelands ask for initial help from some golden mole sites in the corridor specialists in forest protection, but this between the Transkei and the Ciskei had not been done in April 1981, and I where a few specimens had been col- heard that people were going into Pirie lected, or found drowned after a flood Forest to strip the bark from certain trees some decades ago. But around Stut- - in order to make medicine and face terheim, Amabele, Macleantown, and cream. Two of the trees involved are Cape Kei Road' there is no primary forest left; chestnut Calondendrum capense and Cape only uniform tree plantations indicate onionwood Cassipouorea slanaganii. The where they might have been. new government emphasises its intention to protect the natural heritage, but it is up Fewer Molehills against the shortsightedness and greed of I returned to Pirie Forest and met my next local people who believe that in their own disappointment. Probably as a result of country they have the right to destroy long drought, the number of molehills, anything for even momentary benefit. which on the previous visit were to be The killing of trees, collecting of found even down to the shores of the small firewood, and snaring of duikers, lynx, Maden Lake, had decreased drastically. jackal, etc. that can be expected would This was not from any lack of the mole's destroy the golden mole's last worthwhile favourite food, the giant earth worm stronghold - and also incidentally finish Microchaetus,4 for the soil of the dense and off one of South Africa's important entangled forest was dotted with innum- populations of the endangered Cape par- erable faeces of Microchaetus, clusters of rot Poicephalus robustus. digested earth from deep layers, with a After two visits to South Africa on diameter of up to 8cms each. behalf of the giant golden mole I foresee its extinction in a very few years. In Independence Transkei I have no hope; I am afraid this Unfortunately, another threat is looming. endemic animal has vanished already. As In December 1981, full sovereignty was for the Ciskei, I have little hope left. The to be handed over to Ciskei, a new insane pressure for freedom to destroy homeland of the Southern Xhosa. King nature at will is too great, and there was William's Town will remain in Cape and is too little real and active interest in Province, but the fate of Pirie Forest is its protection.
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