Have you ever seen a row of little mounds of earth filled with small rocks in the grasslands of Melville Koppies? This is the debris scooted out by the common mole-rat (cryptomys hottentotus).
Wendy Carstens explains about young mole-rat workers that dig kilometre-long underground tunnels to food sources such as underground fleshy roots. She said these large, extended rodent mole-rat families live in these tunnels in eusocial colonies in an ordered hierarchy. “One breeding pair is the ‘boss’, below this, are older, bigger mole-rat ‘casual workers’ who have light duties, and at the bottom are the smaller younger generation ‘workers’ who have to do everything.”
Mole-rats, said Carstens, are seldom seen, however, “I once saw a mole-rat bumbling along the surface at the koppies. It had a sausage-shaped furry body, teeny eyes and ears and enormous teeth and claws, it disappeared when I blinked.”
She figures why not explore Melville Koppies on a Sunday from 8am to 11.30am and see what small living creatures you can find. Or you can opt for a guided tour and learn more about the hidden treasures on the koppies. As one 13-year-old remarked after a class visit, “The abundance of plants, birds and bugs hidden in a big city like Joburg is fantastic!”
Details: Wendy Carstens, wendavid@mweb.co.za or 011 482 4797.
