Have you ever heard of an amazing creature that has no eyes but can see everything in the world, and occasionally sparkles and is as cute as a tiny firefly. They live underground, daydreaming during the day and foraging at night, and are not at all affected by the sun and moon. Sounds like you've been enchanted, isn't it?
That's what we're going to talk about today about the Dwindon Golden Mole. Don't be fooled by their appearance, their round bodies are like a meat roll, and they look plush and cute. But in reality, they are authentic "stealth masters", and it is not easy to discover their existence.
Have you ever wondered how you can find an animal that has been gone for 87 years? Even experts suspect that they are extinct. Fortunately, today's advances in technology have opened up endless possibilities for such tasks.
First, we need to find clues to how they once existed. In fact, even if animals leave, the DNA they leave behind will remain in the environment for a long time. These "environmental DNA" become valuable clues for us. But the question is, the Earth is so big, where do we start looking? Luckily, the Dewinton Golden Mole is endemic to South Africa and only lives in the north-west of the country, in the vicinity of Port Nolos, so the search has been at least narrowed a bit.
The next step is the field search. Every day, a team of experts covers 18 kilometres of the dunes, collecting soil samples from all over the land in the hope of discovering the DNA of the Golden Mole in Dewindon. With more than 100 samples collected in one collection, can you imagine how much work it takes?
However, DNA clues alone are not enough, we also need some more direct "sniffing methods". It's the turn of the trained dogs. The border collie, Jesse, is known for his keen sense of smell, and he is responsible for sniffing out the scent of the mole's tunnel directly in the sand. No matter how advanced technology is, it always has to rely on the "bioradar" of animals, right?
Collecting samples and detecting odors is just part of the job. The team also used a thermal imaging system to help detect the heat response of subterranean animals. The combination of technology and nature makes you look like you're making a science fiction movie, right?
After much difficulty, the experts finally found the Golden Mole of Dwindon! Yes, two living Golden Moles were hiding under the sand dunes of Port Norlos. These two little ones, like nappers for more than a hundred years, suddenly woke up from their slumber and showed the world what they looked like. Wow, that's amazing!
However, the good times are short-lived, and the habitat of this rare animal is under serious threat. Guess what? Yes, it's human activity that has taken a toll on their homes. Large-scale diamond mining and residential construction are encroaching on their habitats. We can't help but ask: before the joy of finding the Golden Mole at Dwindon has been savored, could they disappear from human sight again?
But I believe that there must still be hope. It is because of this discovery by the experts that the case for protecting the dune environment has become stronger. The dunes are not only home to the Devington Golden Mole, but also home to other rare species. Once we can take care of conservation, maybe the Dwindon Golden Mole won't be missing again.
However, protected areas alone are not enough. In this era of frequent human activities, we need to respect the ecology and reduce the destruction of the habitat of rare species. I envisioned that one day humans might be able to invent a pollution-free, noise-free way of mining where mineral resources and wildlife coexist in harmony. I don't know if you feel the same way?
In the end, we have to sincerely admire the hardships of this road of discovery. It takes DNA samples, animal sniffing, thermal imaging and other means to find this "stealth master", and it seems that mysterious creatures will always give us some problems. But it's this challenge that makes scientific research more interesting. We all hope that in the future, more excellent scientific and technological means will be born to help us uncover more mysteries on the earth.
So, who will be the next amazing creature waiting to be rediscovered?
Disclaimer: The information in this article comes from the Internet, which is not guaranteed to be completely correct and is for reference only.