Examples of animals like moles include shrews and voles.
Moles are small, burrowing animals that are often mistaken for other creatures. While they may look like rodents, moles are actually classified as mammals. There are a number of animals that share characteristics with moles.
In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of the most common animals that resemble moles and explore why they share these similarities.
Examples of Animals That Look Like Moles
1. Arctic Shrew
| Scientific Name | Sorex arcticus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | North America, Europe, and Asia |
The arctic shrew is a small mammal that is found in the northernmost parts of North America, Europe, and Asia. Like moles, they have a long body and short legs. They also have a pointed snout and small eyes.
Arctic shrews are mostly active at night and spend most of their time searching for food. They are known to eat insects, spiders, and other small invertebrates.
2. Asian House Shrew
| Scientific Name | Suncus murinus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | South and Southeast Asia |
The Asian house shrew is a small mammal that is found in many parts of Asia. These creatures are often mistaken for moles due to their small size and burrowing habits. However, shrews are not related to moles and are actually members of the family Soricidae.
One of the most notable differences between shrews and moles is their diet. Shrews are mostly carnivorous, while moles are insectivores.
Another difference is that shrews have a long, pointed snout, while moles have a short, round nose.
3. Bank Vole
| Scientific Name | Myodes glareolus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Europe |
The bank vole is a small, mouse-like creature that is found across Europe and parts of Asia. Like moles, bank voles have small eyes and ears, and their bodies are covered in fur. Bank voles also burrow underground, making them good diggers.
One of the main differences between bank voles and moles is their tail. Bank voles have much shorter tails than moles, which helps to distinguish them from their burrowing cousins. Additionally, bank voles are more likely to be found near water than moles.
4. California Vole
| Scientific Name | Microtus californicus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | western United States |
The California vole is a small, mouse-like creature that is found in the western United States. Like moles, voles are excellent burrowers and spend most of their time underground.
One of the main ways to tell a vole apart from a mole is by their eyes. Voles have small, black eyes that are close to their head, while moles have much larger eyes that are set further back on their head. Additionally, voles have shorter tails than moles.
5. Common Shrew
| Scientific Name | Soricidae |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Europe, Asia, and Africa |
The common shrew is a small, mouse-like creature that is found in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Like moles, shrews have long, pointed noses and small eyes. They also have very poor vision.
However, there are some key differences between shrews and moles. Shrews are more active during the day than moles.
6. Common Voles
| Scientific Name | Microtus arvalis |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Europe and Asia |
The common vole is a small, burrowing rodent that is found in Europe and Asia. These animals are often mistaken for moles due to their size and appearance. Common voles have short, furry bodies and small eyes. They are proficient diggers and use their powerful claws to create complex tunnel systems.
7. Eastern Meadow Vole
| Scientific Name | Microtus pennsylvanicus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | eastern North America |
The Eastern Meadow Vole is a small, burrowing rodent that is found in Europe. These animals have furry bodies and long tails. Their ears are small and they have black eyes. Meadow voles are brown or gray in color.
8. Etruscan Shrew
| Scientific Name | Suncus etruscus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Europe and Asia |
The Etruscan shrew is a very small mammal that is found in parts of Europe and Asia. This creature is often confused for a mole due to its small size and burrowing habits. The Etruscan shrew has a long, pointy nose and is covered in fur.
9. Eurasian Water Shrew
| Scientific Name | Neomys fodiens |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Europe |
The Eurasian water shrew is a small, dark-furred creature that is often mistaken for a mole. These animals are found near bodies of water and have webbed feet, which help them to swim. They also have long, sharp claws that they use to catch their prey.
The similarities between the Eurasian water shrew and moles include their small size, dark fur, and sharp claws. However, there are some key differences between these two animals. For example, water shrews have webbed feet, which moles do not. Additionally, water shrews are found near bodies of water while moles prefer to live in dryer areas.
10. European Snow Vole
| Scientific Name | Chionomys nivalis |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Europe and southwestern Asia |
The European snow vole is a small, nocturnal creature that is found in the mountains of Europe. These voles are well-adapted to cold weather and have thick fur that helps them to stay warm. Snow voles are also good swimmers and can often be seen swimming in cold mountain streams.
Like moles, snow voles are good diggers and they build their nests underground. These voles are also herbivores and they eat a variety of plants.
11. European Water Vole
| Scientific Name | Arvicola amphibius |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Europe, Russia, West Asia and Kazakhstan |
The European water vole is a small, stocky mammal that is often mistaken for a mole. They have short, furry bodies and can grow to be up to 12 inches long. Water voles live in wet areas such as marshes, swamps, and riverbanks. They are good swimmers and often build their nests near the water’s edge.
Like moles, water voles have small eyes and ears that are hidden in their fur. They also have webbed feet, which help them swim. Water voles are vegetarians and eat a variety of plant foods, including roots, shoots, and leaves.
12. Greater White-Toothed Shrew
| Scientific Name | Crocidura russula |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Europe and North Africa |
The greater white-toothed shrew is a small, mouse-like creature that is found in Europe and Asia. Like moles, these shrews have a long, snout-like nose and small eyes. They also have sensitive whiskers that they use to help them navigate their underground burrows.
While they may look like moles, shrews are actually more closely related to hedgehogs.
13. Long-Tailed Shrews
| Scientific Name | Sorex dispar |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Appalachian Mountains |
One of the most common animals mistaken for a mole is the long-tailed shrew. Shrews are small, mouse-like creatures with long, pointy noses. They also have very sharp teeth and are known to be aggressive. Like moles, shrews are good diggers and often build burrows underground.
14. Montane Vole
| Scientific Name | Microtus montanus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | western United States and Canada |
The montane vole is a small rodent that is found in North America. These voles are often mistaken for moles because of their burrowing habits and their small size.
One of the main reasons that the montane vole is often confused with a mole is because of their burrowing behavior. Both animals dig tunnels underground, but the montane vole does it to create a network of tunnels that they can live in. Moles, on the other hand, build their tunnels for the purpose of finding food.
15. Myosorex
| Scientific Name | Myosorex |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Lesotho, South Africa, and Eswatini |
One of the animals most often mistaken for a mole is the myosorex. This creature is a type of mouse that is found in Africa. Like moles, myosorexes have small, round bodies and are proficient diggers. They also have poor eyesight and rely heavily on their sense of touch to navigate their underground homes.
16. North American Least Shrew
| Scientific Name | Cryptotis parva |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | North American |
The North American least shrew is one of the smallest mammals in the world. It shares many physical characteristics with moles, including a small body, short legs, and a long snout. Like moles, the North American least shrew is also a proficient swimmer and an excellent digger.
While they may look alike, there are some key differences between these two animals. The most obvious is that shrews are much more active than moles.
17. Northern Short-Tailed Shrew
| Scientific Name | Blarina brevicauda |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | North America |
The northern short-tailed shrew is one of the most common animals mistaken for a mole. This small, mouse-like creature is found in North America and has a number of physical similarities to moles. Both animals have small eyes and ears, and their bodies are covered in fur.
18. Prairie Vole
| Scientific Name | Microtus ochrogaster |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | North America |
One animal that is often compared to a mole is the prairie vole. These small rodents are found in North America and have bodies that are similar in shape to moles. Prairie voles also have short, furry tails and very small eyes. Their fur is usually brown or gray in color.
Prairie voles live in underground burrows and are proficient swimmers. They are also known for their social behavior, as they often live in colonies with other prairie voles.
19. Short-Tailed Field Vole
| Scientific Name | Microtus agrestis |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | throughout Western Europe |
This small rodent is found in Europe and Asia. It gets its name from its short, stubby tail. Like moles, field voles are proficient burrowers and spend most of their time underground.
20. Small-Eared Shrews
| Scientific Name | Cryptotis |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | southeastern Canada |
The small-eared shrew is a common mole-like animal. These creatures are found in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Like moles, small-eared shrews have small eyes and ears. They also have long, slender snouts.
One of the main differences between small-eared shrews and moles is that shrews have fur on their bodies. Moles, on the other hand, have very little fur and are mostly bald.
Another difference between these two animals is that shrews are active during the day, while moles are active at night.
21. Tundra Vole
| Scientific Name | Microtus oeconomus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Northern and Central Europe, Asia, and northwestern North America, including Alaska and northwestern Canada |
The tundra vole is a small, stocky rodent that is found in the Arctic tundra. These voles are brown or gray in color and have short, rounded ears. Tundra voles are similar to moles in appearance because they both have short legs and small eyes.
Tundra voles live in burrows that they excavate in the ground. These burrows provide shelter from the cold weather and predators. Tundra voles are active during the day and night, but they are most active at dawn and dusk.
Tundra voles are herbivores and their diet consists of moss, lichens, grasses, and sedges.
22. Woodland Vole
| Scientific Name | Microtus pinetorum |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Europe, Asia, and North America |
The woodland vole is a small, brown rodent that is often mistaken for a mole. This is because both animals have a similar body shape and live in similar habitats. Woodland voles are found in woods and forests across Europe, Asia, and North America.
Like moles, woodland voles spend most of their time underground in burrows. These burrows are used for shelter and to store food. Woodland voles are herbivores and their diet consists of roots, bulbs, and other plant material.
Conclusion
Moles are often mistaken for animals like voles and shrews, but they have a number of unique qualities that set them apart. Moles are small mammals with short legs and bodies, which makes it difficult to distinguish between different moles.
Hi, I’m Garreth. Living in South Africa I’ve had the pleasure of seeing most of these animals up close and personal. When I was younger I always wanted to be a game ranger but unfortunately, life happens and now at least I get to write about them and tell you my experiences.