Endangered De Winton's Golden Mole Rediscovered in South Africa After 87 Years

Scientists Utilize Environmental DNA to Locate the Mole, Opening New Opportunities for Conservation of Lost or Imperiled Species

The De Winton's golden mole, a critically endangered species not seen for 87 years, has been rediscovered in South Africa by a team of scientists from the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) and the University of Pretoria.
The mole, which is blind and navigates burrows using its sharp hearing and sensitivity to vibrations, was found in the sand hills of South Africa's northwest coast, a region threatened by diamond mining.
The team used environmental DNA (eDNA) to locate the mole, a technique that identifies animals through the skin cells, hair, and other bodily excretions they shed as they move through an environment.
The rediscovery is part of a campaign to search for lost species launched in 2017 by the nature charity Global Wildlife Conservation, now renamed Re:Wild. The De Winton's golden mole was ranked number 11 on Re:Wild's '25 Most Wanted' species list.
The scientists hope their findings will help turn the mole's habitat into a protected area, and believe the use of eDNA opens up opportunities for finding other lost or imperiled species.