The species described is the Aquitaine Topo. Due to its morphological characteristics and genetic differences, she was distinguished and named in 2017 of the common or European mole (Talpa Europaea), close relative. It lives in the south-west of France, in the Basque Country and in the north of Spain. In the region of Aquitaine it seems very abundant, they did not get too tired of naming it!

We all know the topo with black fur. Its life is hypogea (“hiccup” means below and “geo” means land in ancient Greek) and has characteristics perfectly adapted to these conditions: cylindrical and compact body, sharp end, short tail. The front legs are very strong and wide, with long nails. It uses them as blades to move and move the ground, drill and drill to work. Very small eyes that only distinguish the lights and shadows. One of the most characteristic features of the European mole is eyelid deposition.

Loving soft and sweet grounds, he makes underground galleries at a depth of between 5 and 30 cm. This type of soil is mainly found in grasslands, but also in forests of thick soil strata. It does not like the enclosed, rocky or sandy areas, as it cannot do the tunnels to taste. Neither will the acid earth, which will not find so much worm.

Being a born carnivore, the topo will not eat plants. It is cut if it is up to work. Their diet consists of insect larvae. Larger dams, like worms, can accumulate in a kind of warehouse. Every day you have to eat half your weight! He doesn't have a slow appetite!

The brother-in-law has picked up wood. There are many who look at the topo holes, the hoe in their hands (even the shotgun), which have spent hours hunting for topo. Waiting still, looking, seeing the movement in the stack and... zast! Goodbye to the butt. Other traps, poisons and tricks have been used as many times as you want. All this is, of course, prohibited today. There are other ways to try to expel the topo without killing it. Jakoba Errekondo told us about topo herbs (Euphorbia lathyris). He's poisonous, his milky sweat burns and he doesn't like to die from the roots of this plant. If you grow around the orchards, it seems to work.

Many people don't know that mole helps produce land. Move the ground from the deep layers, renovating and ventilating the ground. It also eats many bugs that can be detrimental to our interest. All this affects the local plant community and generally increases the diversity of plant species. If the mole is nearby, it's a sign of good soil.

Without knowing everything, what penalties has the poor octopus achieved? The largest, in the Navarro town of Aniz, was hit by a farmer and buried alive for great punishment.