Cape Golden Mole
Chrysochloris asiatica
Silhouette: T. Michael Keesey · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassMammalia (Mammals)
- OrderAfrosoricida (Golden Moles and Tenrecs)
- FamilyChrysochloridae (Golden Moles)
- GenusChrysochloris
- SpeciesChrysochloris asiatica (Cape Golden Mole)
About the Cape Golden Mole
The Cape golden mole (Chrysochloris asiatica) is a small, insectivorous mammal of the family Chrysochloridae, the golden moles. The species is a solitary subterranean insectivore, confined to the coastal regions of the southwestern and southern Cape in South Africa. When foraging for small, soil invertebrates and small lizards, these golden moles excavate superficial burrows using their conical nose shield and highly modified forefeet. Females are smaller than males. Golden moles have very dense, soft, and silky coats. The coats are colored blackish to slaty-grey and brown to pale fawn. They have also been observed to venture onto sandy beaches, presumably to feed on amphipods and isopods occurring there.
Manyeleti Private Game Reserve - description of golden moles Archived 2025-02-23 at the Wayback Machine Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Cape Golden Mole in Table Mountain National Park
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Cape Golden Mole in Table Mountain National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Cape Golden Mole sighting in Table Mountain National Park, based on 139 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Cape Golden Mole in Table Mountain National Park?
September has the highest sighting rate for Cape Golden Mole in Table Mountain National Park in our monthly data.