Giant mole-rat (Tachyoryctes macrocephalus) via Wikimedia Commons The abundant faunal assemblage of the MSA deposits consisted almost exclusively (93.5%) of this rodent. by Isaac Schultz August 13, 2019. Kiona N. Smith - Aug 9, 2019 2:14 pm UTC View of the Fincha Habera rock shelter in the Bale Mountains in Ethiopia, which served as a residential site of Middle Stone Age foragers. Giant Mole rat. Giant Mole rat (Tachyoryctes macrocephalus), also known as the giant root rat, plays a much more serious role in the ecology of the Afro alpine communities of Ethiopia. The restricted distribution of the giant molerat may, in turn, limit the distribution of the Ethiopian wolf. (Image credit: Götz Ossendorf) Ancient humans lived off giant mole rats high in the mountains of Ethiopia to survive the last ice age, a new study finds. The large mammals are mainly concentrated in the south and southwest border and adjacent area of the country. Giant mole rat The giant mole rat is yet another species found nowhere else than in the Bale Mountains and it is classified as Endangered. And, on the cliff-top meadows of the Simien Mountains , … The first people to live at high elevations snacked on giant mole rats The site is the earliest evidence so far of people living at high elevations. Endangered wolves slink between rocks on mountain plateaus, hunting giant mole-rats. The giant mole-rat is native to the North Caucasus, Kazakhstan, Chechnya, and southern Kalmykia located between the northern ends of the Caspian and Black Seas. Research was also recently undertaken on the feeding habits of the giant mole rat by Mohammed Yaba towards his MSc at the University of Addis Ababa, under the auspices of the EWCP. [25] , Ethiopian Lion (Panthera leo abyssincum) [26] , Starck’s Hare (Lepus starcki) and Giant mole rat (Tachyoryctes macrocephalus) were some of endemic mammals of Ethiopia that are not included under unique endemic species. In the Bale Mountains in Ethiopia, we went looking for Ethiopian wolves and their main prey, giant mole-rats. It is restricted to a range of less than 50,000 km 2 (19,000 sq mi), and its distribution within that area is quite patchy. We were very lucky and found a nest! The scientific name of the giant mole rat is Tachyoryctes macrocephalus. Ethiopian wolf and prey. It is an important source of food for the wolves - mole rats can weigh almost a kilogramme (two pounds) and make a good meal compared to a grass rat. Rod Waddington, via flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0 License. It is endemic to Ethiopia, where it is confined to high altitude shrub and grasslands in the Afro alpine habitat of the Bale Mountains (3000 – 4377 meter). It's also known as the big-headed mole rat. In some parts of Ethiopia, the common mole rat replaces the giant mole rat in the wolves' diet. rodent - giant mole rat - bale mountains national park ethiopia (13).jpg: rodent - giant mole rat - bale mountains national park ethiopia (132).jpg: rodent - giant mole rat - bale mountains national park ethiopia (140).jpg: rodent - giant mole rat - bale mountains national park ethiopia (263).jpg: In Ethiopia, Ancient Humans Lived on Thin Air and Giant Mole-Rats The earliest high-altitude settlement in Africa came as a surprise.