You found an injured mole? Then of course you should help him. If the mole is he althy and safe, things look completely different. Below we will explain how to act correctly if you find a he althy or sick mole.
What to do if you find a mole?
If you find a he althy mole, you must not disturb it. However, if a baby mole is injured, sick or abandoned, you should provide assistance by warming it, feeding it and taking it to the vet.
The mole under nature protection
According to the Federal Species Protection Ordinance (BArtSchV), the mole is one of the specially protected animal species. It is therefore forbidden to kill him, capture him or even remove him from his environment:
“It is forbidden to stalk wild animals of specially protected species, to catch, injure or kill them or to take their developmental forms from nature, damage or destroy them” (BNatSchG § 44)
What does that mean to you?
If you find a he althy mole in your yard that just happens to be taking a stroll across your lawn, you should not remove that mole from its habitat. You are only allowed to touch and take care of moles if they need help. This is the case if:
- the mole lies cold in the garden in winter,
- the mole is injured or sick,
- You find a baby mole without a mother,
- the mole lies on your lawn for a long time during the day and shows no signs of retreating.
What to do if an injured or sick mole is found?
It is always better to go straight to the vet with an injured or sick mole. If the animal has been attacked by a cat or another predator, it needs urgent medical care. If you need to provide immediate assistance because the vet is closed or too far away, do the following:
- Check the animal for parasites such as maggots or fly eggs and remove them with tweezers.
- If the animal is hypothermic, warm it up using a hot water bottle or a cherry stone pillow. Do not use red light!
- Moles have to eat constantly. Even half a day without food can mean their death. Therefore, feed the mole you find with spiders, larvae, mealworms or something similar. Moles are carnivores! Do not feed the animal until it has warmed up!
- Place the mole in a box or bucket with enough sand or soil for it to bury. Alternatively, you can temporarily wrap him in a towel to protect him from light.
What should I do if I found a baby mole?
Moles are not independent until they are eight weeks old. They only open their eyes in the third week. If a young mole is abandoned by its mother during this time, it urgently needs help. Before you take in the animal, you should make sure that it has actually been abandoned. So wait up to two hours before intervening. Even if you find a baby mole, going to the vet is the best choice. You can provide first aid by warming up the animal and then feeding it with watery fennel tea using a syringe.
Tip
Never give food or water to found moles if they are hypothermic! Warm the animals up first and then offer them food.
