Of all the animals in the world, only a small portion of them are known for living underground.It is usually animals and insects that are small in size that live underground. Some names of animals that live underground are the pika, burrowing owl, dwarf mongoose, rabbits, meerkats, and ants.Animals and insects have unique living habits and habitats. Some prefer living in trees while some prefer living in the sea and others prefer living underground. And of course, each animal that lives in a specific habitat has equally unique physical features that make it easy for it to live its life in that environment. This applies to underground animals too! In general, these animals are known as subterranean fauna. Nonetheless, they are also called ‘fossorial’ animals, a term used to refer to animals that live and burrow underground. Some animals are called sub-fossorial, meaning that they come above the ground at times too.There are many reasons why certain animals choose to spend their time or dig a den underground. Animals live below the ground or they live in burrows as this helps them regulate their body temperature and it also tends to be cooler underground when the weather above the ground is quite unbearable. Similarly, if the weather is too hot, they go underground as the soil is a very good agent when it comes to retaining moisture. As a result, they go below the ground to not dehydrate themselves.If these animals feel like there are predators lurking above, they will immediately go underground to hide and protect themselves. Burrows and dens built by these creatures underground are also used to store food in case it might not be available in the future due to seasonal changes. Underground burrows serve the purpose of a nesting place or a reproduction site as well as a home. These mammals and insect vertebrates have special physical characteristics that make it easy to survive below the ground.Living below the ground, there is not much need for proper eyesight, so they have other heightened senses like smell that makes it easy to hunt for food like earthworms and ants. It also provides them with a good sense of direction, allowing them to navigate through the burrows with ease. If you closely look at the body structure or shape of some underground dwelling animals like moles and rodents, you will notice that their bodes have tapered ends. This makes it easy for them to move through the soil when digging burrows or a den.These animals have either very small or no ears at all too, contributing to their swift movement under the earth. Their limbs are also short and stubby, proving to be advantageous for both digging and burrowing! Some creatures, like moles and the aardvark native to Africa, have wide and long sharp claws that make it easy to dig burrows or dens, going almost 6 ft (1.8 m) deep especially during the winter months! Armadillo species that are native to South America also burrow deep into the ground, going about 15 ft (4.57 m) deep to hide away from predators and for nesting purposes as well. Some of these fossorial species are pests to gardens and lawn owners.Gophers are part of the rodent family and are considered to be burrowing rodents. These underground-dwelling animals live in groups and have short tails that help them navigate through the tunnels they build. However, they are a real nuisance to lawn owners as their digging habits can leave quite a mess. Along with gophers, there are mole species that live solitarily and are also seen as garden pests as they dig up patches of soil and mud all over the place. Another underground pest that is well-known by every household and in the food industry is rats as they are famous for spreading many food-borne diseases.Prairie dogs are another type of rodent species that follow a herbivorous diet pattern and are common across the grasslands of western and central North America. The prairie dog alternates its time equally both above the ground as well as below the ground and its predator is the black-footed ferret. This species almost became extinct! Pika, another herbivore that spends its life in burrows underground, comes from a family of mammals and is closely related to the rabbit species. They make burrows solely for the purpose of keeping warm.Snakes, like dwarf boas, are creatures that are known to live both above and below the ground in holes as well. Even ants live in what is called an anthill, which is a small hill of sand with holes where they live together in a colony. Therefore, from the life patterns of these creatures, you can say that the reasons why certain mammals, insects, and reptiles choose to live below the ground are endless!If you enjoyed this article on animals that live underground and their survival skills, check out our animals that hibernate and animals with adaptations articles here at Kidadl that you are sure to love!Do any animals live underground?Not every creature that walks on earth is known to make its home in the sea or on a tree. Some of them make their habitats under the earth too! These underground creatures range from insects to small-sized marsupials and mammals!You can find all sorts of animals that live underground. Meerkats are some of the most well-known underground living creatures that look very cute too! They gained their popularity from the famous pop culture animated film called ‘Lion King’. They’re a variation of the mongoose species and are sociable, smart animals. In the desert, you can find various specimens that live underground. They have adapted in such a way that their bodies do not need much water to survive as finding water sources in a desert can be difficult. Fennec foxes are one such type of species.They are some of the few underground animals with large ears that keep them cool and their thick fur keeps warms them during the cold nights of the desert. During the hot daytime, they spend their time in tunnels sleeping. There is a distinct bird called the burrowing owl that lives in burrows underground. What makes these burrowing owls different from other owl species is that they are active during the day but only on ground level.Their range has seen a decrease in the past few years and they can be found mostly in the desert parts and grasslands of South America and Canada. Moles are also famous for living well-adapted lives underground. These mole species are mammals that have very small ears, short hind limbs, and paws that are large that make digging and burrowing quite easy. There are many other animals like the groundhog, many rodent species like rats and prairie dogs, rabbit species, and squirrels that live underground or in a burrow!Types Of Animals That Live UndergroundThere is a long list of animals that live underground. The types of animals that live underground are very much varied. A wide range of animals, insects, vertebrates, and even reptiles and amphibians are known to live underground.They live in burrows or holes underground as a way to hide from predators, get shelter from extreme weather, look for food or store food for the upcoming seasons, or as a nesting or reproduction site. There are some blind animals that live underground too, like the cable salamander. This salamander lives underground in total darkness! Even the mole has very poor eyesight but since these live underground, there isn’t a requirement for the best eyesight. Gophers are another type of underground animal. Their mouth and teeth structure is quite similar to what you would see in beavers who are excellent diggers and can make good tunnels.There are also desert animals that live underground. Prairie dogs, that are not really dogs but a rodent species, are found all over the grasslands of central and western North America and are known to be cousins to squirrels. This small animal that comes from the same family as rodents is known to build complete burrow systems that serve as a good escape from predators. Jerboas are native to the deserts of Africa and Asia and are nocturnal underground animals, meaning that they are inactive during the day but are quite the opposite at night.Why do some animals live underground?Just like how some animals live in trees or in seas, there are some creatures that live underground. Commonly called subterranean fauna, some animals choose to live underground.They use it as a means of shelter from extreme weather conditions, to escape or protect themselves from predators or any form of threats. The bodies of these creatures have been adapted well to live a life without light or with very minimal amounts of light and a small amount of water. But they find various ways to sustain themselves. Most of these animals that spend their lives underground are either herbivores or insectivores. They get their water and quench their thirst from the soil or the roots of plants as these elements work well in retaining moisture. Some being insectivorous can find plenty of worms, ants, grubs, and other insect species in the soil or earth.What do you call animals that live underground?Animals that primarily live underground are called fossorial animals.This means that they have adapted to dig a burrow or hole in the ground and use it to meet their specific needs. Some of the physical adaptations that you can see in animals that live in burrows and tunnels underground are streamlined, tapered, or cylindrical bodies, eyes with poor eyesight, short front and back limbs, very small ears, and tails that are not very long.How do animals survive living underground?Many animals survive the an underground environment by living in burrows, holes, or tunnels below the earth. These help them to be protected from any threats lurking above.It also allows to both find food or store food for the future when the seasons change. Every animal that makes its home below the earth has their unique way of living and surviving underground. They have special bodily features that make it easy for them to exist below. Furthermore, these burrows, holes, and tunnels serve as good nesting or reproduction places that allow them to grow their young ones in a safe environment, away from the dangers above.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for animals that live underground then why not take a look at animals in Alaska, or animals that eat grass articles that will keep you on your toes.
Of all the animals in the world, only a small portion of them are known for living underground.
