The Giant Golden Mole is an endangered species of golden mole

Golden mole

Golden moles are small, insectivorous burrowing mammals native to southern Africa. They form the family Chrysochloridae, and are taxonomically distinct from the true moles which they resemble due to convergence...

 whose natural habit is the forests of Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are Port Elizabeth and East London. It was formed in 1994 out of the "independent" Xhosa homelands of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province...

 Province in South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

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The species was first collected by Herbert Trevelyanile hunting near Pirie Forest near King William's town in British Caffraria

British Kaffraria

British Kaffraria was a British colony/subordinate administrative entity in present-day South Africa, consisting of the districts now known as King Williams Town and East London.The term Kaffraria stems from the word "Kaffir"...

. This 10 inch long mole is dark chocolate brown above with whitish underfur. The claws and margin of the lips are whitish. It is blind and has no external ear lobes and lacks a tail.