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.
I captured these face-freezing images Sunday, January 13th 2013 at 4:30pm U.S. Central time from the Ford Parkway Bridge, which spans the
Mississippi River (approx. 200 ft above the river –
yikes) Between St Paul and
Minneapolis (Minneapolis to the left and St Paul to the right, respectively) as
these photos are looking north. The
raw temperature was 7 f. With wind-chill and based on my red and painful face
along with watering eyes. I’m going to say it
was minus 10 f. Sheesh, the things I do to get a photo.
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