Burrows of land animals

Many animals do not build dwellings, but use many natural shelters of all kinds created by nature itself. But not all animals “wait for mercy from nature.” They build their own homes, and sometimes their structures are distinguished by their unique perfection.

One of the simplest and most common animal shelters is a hole. Burrows are dug by insects, birds and animals. This is a common form of construction activity. I was very interested: what animals build holes and from what? If we proceed from the following definition that a hole is an artificial cavity made by an animal in any substrate (soil, wood, clay, etc.), it means that many species of animals build holes.

Many animals of the mammalian class make burrows. The substrate is often soil, less often sand, snow, and non-lignified parts of plants.

Hamster (Cricetus cricetus L.)

The storerooms of the common hamster are an integral part of a complex building structure. Males and females build burrows differently. The male's structure consists of an oblique entrance tunnel, a living chamber, a “toilet” and a storage room adjacent to the living chamber. The female usually builds several entrance tunnels and always a larger number (up to 8) vertical passages. This can be considered as care for the offspring, since vertical shafts serve young animals at their first “out into the world” for a swift escape to a saving hole. Vertical passages perform broader functions, also acting as trapping pits for all kinds of small living creatures. The grain that the hamster brings in its cheek pouches to the underground pantry is considered large, a supply of 15 kg. Females bring much more grain than males; they rarely harvest more than 4-5 kg, and sometimes less than a kilogram.

Altai mole (Talpa altaica)

The mole never appears on the surface, remaining underground all its life. Its forelimbs are shortened with wide, massive hands. When making moves, the mole makes powerful strokes with its paws in the thickness of the soil, and then throws the loose earth back. The function of a wormhole is the same as that of a hamster. They contain quite a few edibles - earthworms, chafer larvae, various insects and spiders. By digging new passages, the mole thus expands its ability to obtain food. During the period of abundance of food, especially in early autumn, when the first cold days appear, the mole sneaks excess food into special pantries or abandoned passages.

Marmot – Baibak (Marmota bobac)

At the beginning of summer, a family of marmots is busy searching for food all day long. They carefully select the juiciest stems and blades of grass. One animal requires up to 1.5 kg of green food daily in order to gain the required kilogram of fat over the summer - a reserve substance that will allow it to survive the winter. In mid-August, marmots plug up the entrances to their burrows and go into “hibernation.” More precisely, to the summer season, which without interruption turns into the winter season. But you can sleep in winter only in shelters protected from frost, and since there are no natural “caves” in the steppes, marmots have to build deep underground dwellings on their own.

While digging, they throw loose soil under their belly with their front paws, pick it up with their hind paws and throw it back. Narrow corridors exactly the size of the animal form a complex branched system going 2-3 meters (sometimes up to 7) deep with one or two exits to the living chamber and a number of blindly ending latrines - latrines, a special structural element that ensures cleanliness in the home. After all, marmots spend almost nine months “locked up” without being able to remove the secretions outside or bury them. All family members sleep in the living chamber on soft bedding, curled up and pressed closely to each other.

Alpine marmot (Marmota alpika)

The Alpine marmot builds shallow burrows higher up the mountain slope in summer - fresh greenery is preserved here longer. Marmot burrows are located along the slope in a horizontal chain. Digging deep holes in rocky soil in summer is an unnecessary luxury and also risks freezing. So only two options for burrows optimally solve environmental problems. The burrow allows you to make the best use of food reserves, protects you from enemies, and the proverbial ability to “sleep like a groundhog” saves you from disastrous energy losses in times of famine. Survival in harsh conditions is thus ensured by construction activities combined with the ability to spend most of one’s life underground.

Comb-toed jerboa (Paradipus)

The comb-toed jerboa lives in deserts. In his hole, the top layer of sand is dry and mobile; moving, the dune constantly fills up the entrance to the hole. The middle layer consists of wet, loose sand; Below is dense wet sand, in which the living chamber of the jerboa is located. Only here can he wait out the heat of the day - on the surface, moisture loss due to evaporation was fatal. Thanks to construction activities, this species was able to populate places with such harsh conditions.

Chipmunk (Eutamias sibiricus Laxm)

The chipmunk spends most of its time on the ground, often in a burrow, which it builds under the roots of trees or windbreaks. The burrow often has two chambers. One of them is a nesting place, and the other is a pantry - food is stored here for the spring.

Polar bear (Ursus maritimus Phipps)

The polar bear digs a deep den with its paws and powerful claws in a snowdrift or among pack ice covered with snow. Usually she waits until she has deposited more snow and only then starts working. If you look into the entrance, you can see a high pile of snow a few meters in the depths. But this is not the end of the tunnel, but a protective shaft that maintains cold air and makes it easier to defend against uninvited guests. Behind him is the bear's bed. In mid-February, she usually gives birth to two tiny (rat-sized) blind babies. At first, the cubs constantly lie on the mother’s paws, she warms them with the warmth of her body, without letting them down onto the icy floor of the “nursery.” A blizzard and blizzard are raging outside, but inside a house made of snow and ice it is relatively warm. In the first weeks, the mother bear does not leave the babies, existing only on fat reserves, which also ensure the formation of milk.

Long-tailed ground squirrel (Citellus undulates

The long-tailed ground squirrel lives in our area. These rodents live in colonies. Animals dig deep holes (up to 15 m) with holes and chambers. In the wintering chamber there is a nest made of dry grass. Animals hibernate in September-October. The female brings 7-10 cubs in May. Gophers can cause significant damage to grain crops.

Flying fox (order Chiroptera)

The flying Indian fox gnaws a deep cave or burrow in the center of the palm fruit and spends the day there.