Ethiopian Giant Mole-Rat in Bale Mountains NP, 15/10/14

Tachyoryctes macrocephalus

Actually a root-rat, not a true mole-rat. This was the furthest I saw one come out of its burrow until we saw (too distantly for photos, but clearly through binos) a mole-rat fall prey to a determined Ethiopian Wolf!

Maguari

Judging by the water reflecting in the back ground it must be rather wet. I know they have a lot of rain in the highlands or at least low cloud mist I wonder if that is why they come above ground, or is it the lack of top soil do you think? If they feed on roots you would imagine they tunneled like bamboo or naked mole rats.

A good question, to which I don't really have an answer!

It was certainly very wet - that wet ground behind turned into a full-on small lake not much further back - and we were surprised how close the burrowing mammals were living to the water. In the next batch I have a photo of a root-rat burrow, albeit one in a slightly drier spot.