CARL MARSHALL: Bizarre moles found in Berkshire

These oddly pigmented moles were both killed last year at the same location in an agricultural field in Newbury, Berkshire and sent [by the farmer who wishes to remain anonymous] to a taxidermist based in Wales who just so happens to be one of my fathers friends; who also is a taxidermist. Martin Bennet, the taxidermist who mounted these wondrous Talpids, has already assured me that they are not taxidermic forgeries, as they arrived at his workshop in this exact condition, and he has not altered their appearance in any way.

I thought they were possibly partial (mosaic) albinos, however I was not entirely convinced with this identity due to the vivid colouration they displayed, so I contacted Dr Karl Shuker. After conversing with Karl it seems more than likely they are actually exhibiting flavistic mosiacism; two rare phenomena where an unusual golden orange mutation (flavism) has only developed in patches (Mosiacism) ie patches of abnormal golden pigmentation amid an otherwise typical pelage. 

Karl himself said that he had not seen comparable specimens like these before, and agreed with myself in that they were likely very closely related, probably siblings, sharing the same genetic makeup for this abnormality. Karl also informed me that the European mole has actually yielded quite a wide range of colour mutations to be on the lookout for.

I also contacted Richard Muirhead who informed me of an ethnoknown mole in Cheshire from the 19th century, named the Nosrow, and wonders if this animal may be similar to these Berkshire moles.

Its also safe to assume that there will be more moles displaying this cryptic colouration at this [hidden] location in Newbury.

If any blog readers know of any other British moles displaying similar physical traits please comment.