Tachyoryctes macrocephalus
Silhouette: T. Michael Keesey · PhyloPic
In 3 days >90%
The giant root-rat (Tachyoryctes macrocephalus), also known as the Ethiopian African mole rat, is a species of rodent in the genus Tachyoryctes. The species is endemic to Ethiopia's Bale Mountains, and its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland, where the population can reach densities of up to 2,600 individuals per square kilometre. The giant root-rat has thick fur and large teeth, and creates large networks of tunnels whilst foraging for food before making holes to the surface to feed on nearby vegetation. There are many species that prey on Tachyoryctes macrocephalus, especially the Ethiopian wolf, and it is threatened by habitat loss.
Tachyoryctes macrocephalus typically have small eyes and thick russet fur, as well as especially prominent incisors. The eyes are placed near the top of the forehead, and are sometimes called "periscopes" due to their ability to scan for predators. Individuals usually lack a part of the ear called a pinna, the limbs are typically short with claws, and they have short tails. Body weight can range between 160 grams to 930 grams, and the length of their body ranges from 160 millimeters to 313 millimeters... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bale Mountains National Park | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Very likely
About 70% of wildlife watchers report a Big-headed Mole-rat sighting in Bale Mountains National Park on a given day, based on 23 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 6th most-seen of the 14 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February, July, October and December
In those months about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Big-headed Mole-rat in Bale Mountains National Park on a given day, against about 30% in June, the lowest month. August and September have too few records to rate.
Between 6 and 9 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Big-headed Mole-rat sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Only Bale Mountains National Park, in our data
Bale Mountains National Park is the only park on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Big-headed Mole-rat sightings: about 70% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
Same order: Rodentia
The closest relatives of the Big-headed Mole-rat that you can see in Bale Mountains National Park (order Rodentia, Rodents) are Blick's Grass Rat (about 50%) and Black-clawed Brush-furred Rat (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Big-headed Mole-rat is recorded against all the mammals logged in Bale Mountains National Park (23 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
