As already mentioned in a previous post we were very lucky to come across a male mole rat that had been discovered by two German tourists. The tourists were 1) very surprised to see this chap running across the road in broad daylight and 2) be rumbled by 3 British ecologists and a local guide. It was the local guide that picked it up for some quick photographs.
The photo below shows the front teeth with the gums behind - this species digs with its teeth and having gums behind the teeth means it doesnt swallow any soil.
Spade shaped head for pushing through the soil.
What an amazing creature - and very lucky for us to find as they usually spend all of their time underground and if and when they do venture out it is normally at night. There are a few mole rat species found around the world and the one native to Bulgaria is the Lesser Mole Rat (Spalax leucodon).
General shot of a species of paper wasp that we came across on one of the early morning breeding surveys on the steppes.
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