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16 October 2026
Most moles live out of sight, tunnelling through damp soil in search of food. But one species has a face that looks as though nature began drawing a tiny star and then decided to make it useful.
The star-nosed mole lives in wet habitats in parts of eastern North America. Around the end of its nose are 22 fleshy tentacles arranged in a star-like pattern. They are not there for decoration. Packed with extremely sensitive touch receptors, they help the animal explore its surroundings and locate tiny prey in muddy water and soil.
The mole moves its nose rapidly over objects, gathering information through touch rather than relying mainly on sight. It can assess and consume very small prey astonishingly quickly, an advantage for an animal that must find enough food in a demanding underground world.
There is something wonderfully practical about this strange little face. What might look unusual to us is perfectly suited to the life this animal leads.
Nature does not always solve a problem by making an animal stronger, faster or more beautiful. Sometimes it gives a creature a tool that nobody would have thought to design.
And sometimes that tool looks like a star.
Rajat Chandra Sarmah, Guwahati, Assam, India, Instagram @rajatchandrasarmah, YouTube: conversewithasmile, email rajatchandrasarmah@gmail.com
