Fun Facts About Moles And Gophers

Fun Facts About Gophers

Gophers are rodents with a special
anatomy that works well underground

• Gophers use their long teeth to help build tunnels – to cut roots, loosen rocks and push soil away. A gopher’s teeth rest outside its lips so they can be used for tunnel building without opening its mouth.
• Gophers have pouches in their cheeks that they use to carry food, hence the term “pocket” gopher
• Gophers are generally solitary creatures that prefer to live alone except for brief mating periods
• Gophers predators include snakes, owls, coyotes, weasels, badgers, bobcats and even herons.
• To protect themselves from predators, adult gophers will usually peek out of their hole briefly before exiting to make sure the way is clear, then leave only momentarily before quickly darting back inside.
• As gophers build tunnels they create dirt mounds that wrap around about ¾ of the opening, the direction of the tunnel is usually off to the flat side of the mound === TUNNEL === m ))) < Dirt Pile
• Gophers and moles are both mammals, but they have different taxonomic classifications. Gophers are classified as rodents, members of the order Rodentia, moles are not rodents, they belong to the order Eulipotyphla which includes hedgehogs, moles and shrews.