Blind mole-rats are small steppe rodents, typical for Eastern Europe, very little known. What characterises them is the subterranean lifestyle. In partnership with our peers from the Hungarian Natural History Museum and Ötvös Loránd University, we’ve been researching for almost a decade their distribution, ecology and taxonomy in the Carpathian Basin and Romania. Among other activities, we contributed to the taxonomic re-evaluation of the genus of Balkan mole-rat species (Spalax graecus), considered until then only one species.
One of the important results of the study, in terms of taxonomy and conservation, is enlisting Mehely’s blind mole-rat (Spalax antiquus) as a distinct species, thus becoming the only endemic mammal species in Transylvania that we know of so far. We researched the size of the population of this species, by making an inventory of the molehills in several places across the Transylvanian Plain.
Being part of the research community, we conducted an assessment of the conservation status of all blind mole-rat species in the Carpathian Basin. This was another important achievement. Besides from the already mentioned species, two more species live in the Romanian part of the area: the Transylvanian blind mole-rat (Nannospalax transsylvanicus) and the Hungarian lesser blind molerat (Nannospalax hungaricus). Both species belong to the group of lesser blind mole-rats and are part of the Nannospalax (superspecies leucodon). We proposed the first species to be enlisted in the “vulnerable” category and the second (Mehely’s blind mole-rat) in the “threatened” category, according to the criteria of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
In recent years, we have also been involved in the repopulation programme of the Transylvanian blind mole-rat in Hungary, coordinated by our Hungarian peers. This was also the first significant measure for the conservation of this species’ populations in Hungary.
Publications:
Hegyeli, Zs., Csorba, G., Horváth, M., Sendula, T., Németh, A. 2016. Veszély a felszínen és a felszín alatt: a földikutya, mint zsákmányállat. X. MTBK Műhelytalálkozó: „Zászlóshajók, karizmák és esernyők: mit tehet az emlőskutatás a természetvédelemért” absztrakt-kötet: 59.
Németh, A., Hegyeli, Zs., Sendula, T., Horváth, M., Czabán, D., Csorba, G. 2016. Danger underground and in the open – predation on blind mole-rats (Rodentia: Spalacinae) revisited. Mammal Review 46: 204–214.
Szél, L., Moldován, O., Horváth, T., Molnár, A., Hegyeli, Zs., Sugár, Sz., Csorba, G., Németh, A. 2016. A szélsőségesen talajlakó rágcsálók megmentésének legjobb módja? Új földikutya populációk létrehozása Magyarországon. X. MTBK Műhelytalálkozó: „Zászlóshajók, karizmák és esernyők: mit tehet az emlőskutatás a természetvédelemért” absztrakt-kötet: 12.
Csorba, G., Krivek, G., Sendula, T., Homonnay, Z. G., Hegyeli, Zs., Sugár, Sz., Farkas, J., Stojnić, N., Németh, A. 2015. How can scientific researches change conservation priorities? A review of decade-long research of blind mole-rats (Rodentia: Spalacinae) in the Carpathian Basin. Therya 6(1): 103–121.
Németh, A., Krivek, G., Sendula, T., Hegyeli, Zs., Sugár, Sz., Farkas, J., Stojnić, N., Csorba, G. 2015. How scientific researches can change conservation priorities? The decade-long research of Eurasian blind mole-rats (Rodentia: Spalacinae) in the Carpathian Basin. 27th International Congress for Conservation Biology, August 2-6 2015, Montpellier / France.
Németh, A., Homonnay, Z. G., Krízsik, V., Csorba, M., Pavlíček, T., Hegyeli, Zs., Hadid, Y., Sugár, Sz., Farkas, J., Csorba, G. 2013. Old views and new insights – taxonomic revision of the Bukovina blind mole rat, Spalax graecus. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 169: 903–914.
Csorba, G., Németh, A., Hegyeli, Zs., Czabán, D., Major, Á., Révay, T., Farkas, J. 2011. The most endangered rodents in Europe? – Taxonomy, distribution and protection status of the mole-rats of the Carpathian basin. In: Abstract volume 6th European Congress of Mammalogy, Paris, France, p.102.
Németh, A., Csorba, G., Krnács, Gy., Hegyeli, Zs., Sugár, Sz., Vajda, Z., Stojnic, N., Delic, J. L., Kryštufek, B. 2011. Recent extinction of two European mammals? –The probable extinction of two mole-rat taxa. In: Abstract volume 6th European Congress of Mammalogy, Paris, France, p.103.
Németh, A., Hegyeli, Zs., Krnács, Gy., Czabán, D., Major, Á., Farkas, J., Csorba, G. 2011. Európa legveszélyeztetettebb rágcsálói, a Kárpát-medence földikutyái a kihalás küszöbén és azon túl. VII. Magyar Természetvédelmi Biológiai Konferencia, Debreceni Egyetem, 2011. november 3-6.
Sugár, Sz., Hegyeli, Zs. 2010. Possibilities of distinguishing two Transylvanian mole rat (Rodentia: Spalacide) species based on tunnel diameter and their population estimation by mound counts. Babeș-Bolyai University, Faculty of Biology and Geology – Apáthy István Society. 11th Biology Days, Cluj-Napoca, 23-24 April 2010.
Németh, A., Révay, T., Hegyeli, Zs., Farkas, J., Czabán, D., Rózsás, A., Csorba, G. 2009. Chromosomal forms and risk assessment of Nannospalax (superspecies leucodon) (Mammalia: Rodentia) in the Carpathian Basin. Folia Zoologica 58(3): 349–361.
Hegyeli, Zs., 2008. Distribution of mole rats (Spalax spp.) in Transylvania – preliminary results. Babeș-Bolyai University, Faculty of Biology and Geology – Eco Studia Society. Biology Days, 9th edition, 25-26 April 2008.
