Scapanus latimanus
Silhouette: T. Michael Keesey · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%
The northern broad-footed mole (Scapanus latimanus) is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is endemic to the United States, where it is found in northern California, Nevada and Oregon at elevations up to 9,800 feet (3,000 m) above sea level.
Formerly, this species was thought to have a wider range reaching down to northernmost Baja California, Mexico, with a disjunct population further south in Sierra de San Pedro Martir. However, taxonomic and morphological studies indicate that the subspecies in southern California and northernmost Baja California is a distinct species, the southern broad-footed mole (S. occultus) and the Sierra de San Pedro Martir subspecies is also a distinct species, the Mexican mole (S. anthonyi). Due to this, the range of S. latimanus is thought to be restricted to the United States.
Up to 12 subspecies of S. latimanus have been described, but S. anthonyi and S. occultus have been split as distinct species. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sacramento | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | San Francisco | 🇺🇸 United States |
No species of the same family or order lives in Sacramento, so these are its closest relatives here: other mammals.
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Broad-footed Mole sighting in Sacramento on a given day, based on 18 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 19th most-seen of the 22 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March–May, October and December–January
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Broad-footed Mole in Sacramento on a given day, against under 5% in February, June–September and November, the lowest months. Those are among Sacramento's wettest months, with about 65 mm of rain a month against almost none in July.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Broad-footed Mole sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Broad-footed Mole sightings, Sacramento has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come San Francisco (United States, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Broad-footed Mole is recorded against all the mammals logged in Sacramento (18 verified sightings), 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.
