Moles and desmans

Moles and desmans are mostly small and dark-furred animals. Though they have small eyes and poor eyesight, moles are rarely blind, despite a life spent mostly in the dark. This family of insectivorous mammals contains the moles and the shrew-moles, all of which are subterranean or semi-aquatic to varying degrees and have forelimbs and paws specialised for digging. The aquatic desmans, on the other hand, have forelimbs and paws specialised for life in the water. The 45 or so species in this family can be found across Asia, Europe and North America.

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