Coast Mole
Scapanus orarius
Silhouette: T. Michael Keesey · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassMammalia (Mammals)
- OrderSoricomorpha
- FamilyTalpidae (Moles and Desmans)
- GenusScapanus (Western Moles)
- SpeciesScapanus orarius (Coast Mole)
About the Coast Mole
The coast mole or Pacific mole (Scapanus orarius) is a medium-sized North American mole found in forested and open areas with moist soils along the Pacific coast from southwestern British Columbia to northwestern California.
Two subspecies are recognized: the nominate, S. o. orarius, and Scheffer's coast mole, S. o. schefferi. The nominate has a shorter skull and less enlarged maxillary region. The patterns of teeth shearing on dirt and earthworms (their main diet) set both subspecies apart from similar species.
The coast mole is generally less than 200 mm long, with the tail being one-fourth of its total length. The fur is uniformly black. The skull is relatively narrow and long, with a sublacrimal-maxillary ridge that is underdeveloped. Teeth are uncrowned and evenly spaced.
The coast mole has a disjunct distribution, occurring from the western end of British Columbia, Canada through the western regions of Oregon and Washington, and in some parts of Northern California (coastal regions). The most extreme divergence of range for the coast mole has been seen to reach some parts of west-central Idaho. The species has a primarily... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Coast Mole in Redwood National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Redwood National Park
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Redwood National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Olympic National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Coast Mole in Redwood National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Coast Mole sighting in Redwood National Park, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Coast Mole in Redwood National Park?
August has the highest sighting rate for Coast Mole in Redwood National Park in our monthly data.