BC Conservation Data Centre: Species Summary
Scapanus orarius
Coast Mole
| Scientific Name: | Scapanus orarius True, 1896 | ||||||||||
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| English Name: | Coast Mole | ||||||||||
| Classification / Taxonomy | |||||||||||
| Scientific Name - Concept Reference: | Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 1993. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. xviii + 1206 pp. Available online at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/msw/. | ||||||||||
| Classification Level: | Species | ||||||||||
| Species Group: | Vertebrate Animal | ||||||||||
| Species Code: | M-SCOR | ||||||||||
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| Conservation Status / Legal Designation | |||||||||||
| Global Status: | G5 (Apr 2016) | ||||||||||
| Provincial Status: | S4? (Mar 2024) | ||||||||||
| BC List: | Yellow | ||||||||||
| Provincial FRPA list: | |||||||||||
| Provincial Wildlife Act: | |||||||||||
| COSEWIC Status: | |||||||||||
| SARA Schedule: | |||||||||||
| General Status Canada: | 4 - Secure (2005) | ||||||||||
| Ecology & Life History | |||||||||||
| General Description: | |||||||||||
| Global Reproduction Comments: | Breeds January-early March. Parturition occurs in late March or early April. Litter size is 2-4; 1 litter annually. Females are reproductively active at 9-10 months. | ||||||||||
| Global Ecology Comments: | Solitary except when breeding. Population density highly variable, ranges from 1/0.10 ha to 1/14 ha (van Zyll de Jong 1983). Maximum longevity probably is about 4-5 years. Average home range has been estimated at 0.12 ha. | ||||||||||
| Migration Characteristics: (Global / Provincial) | |||||||||||
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Nonmigrant: Local Migrant: Distant Migrant: Within Borders Migrant: |
Y / N / N / na / |
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| Habitats: (Type / Subtype / Dependence) |
Agriculture / Cultivated Field / Facultative - frequent use
Agriculture / Hedgerow / Facultative - frequent use Agriculture / Pasture/Old Field / Facultative - frequent use Forest / Conifer Forest - Moist/wet / Facultative - occasional use Forest / Deciduous/Broadleaf Forest / Facultative - frequent use Forest / Mixed Forest (deciduous/coniferous mix) / Facultative - frequent use Grassland/Shrub / Meadow / Facultative - frequent use Other Unique Habitats / Sand Dune / Facultative - frequent use Stream/River / Stream/River / Facultative - frequent use Subterranean / Sub-soil / Obligate |
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| Global Habitat Comments: | Agricultural land, coastal dunes, grassy meadows, coniferous and deciduous forest and woodland, along streams. Fossorial, occasionally active on surface (especially dispersing juveniles in summer). Quickly recolonizes formerly flooded areas. Breeding nests are located about 15 cm below the surface of the ground. The nest cavity is lined with coarse grass. It is about 20 cm across and has several entrances (van Zyll de Jong 1983). | ||||||||||
| Food Habits: |
Invertivore: Adult, Immature
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| Global Food Habits Comments: | Diet dominated by earthworms; other common food items include adult and larval insects, and other invertebrates. | ||||||||||
| Global Phenology: |
Circadian: Adult, Immature
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| Global Phenology Comments: | Active throughout the year. | ||||||||||
| Provincial Phenology: (1st half of month/ 2nd half of month) |
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| Colonial Breeder: | N | ||||||||||
| Length(cm)/width(cm)/Weight(g): | 18/ / 56 | ||||||||||
| Elevation (m) (min / max): |
Global:
Provincial: |
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| Distribution | |||||||||||
| Endemic: | N | ||||||||||
| Global Range Comment: | Southwestern British Columbia south through western Washington and Oregon to coastal northwestern California; also in parts of eastern Washington and Oregon, and extreme west-central Idaho. | ||||||||||
| Authors / Contributors | |||||||||||
| Global Information Author: | |||||||||||
| Last Updated: | Sep 15, 1988 | ||||||||||
| Provincial Information Author: | |||||||||||
| Last Updated: | |||||||||||
| References and Related Literature | |||||||||||
Banfield, A. W. F. 1974. The mammals of Canada. University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada. 438 pp. |
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Gorman, M. L., and R. D. Stone. 1990. The natural history of moles. Cornell Univ. Press. 208 pp. |
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Hartman, G. D. and T. L. Yates. 1985. Scapanus orarius. American Society of Mammalogists, Mammalian Species No. 253:1-5. |
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Jackson, H. H. T. 1915. A review of the American moles. North American Fauna 38:1-100. |
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Nagorsen, D. and N. Panter. 2024. Shrews and Moles of British Columbia. Second Edition. Royal BC Museum Handbook. 239 pp. |
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van Zyll de Jong, C.G. 1983. Handbook of Canadian mammals. 1. Marsupials and insectivores. National Museum of Natural Sciences, National Museums of Canada, Ottawa, Canada. 210 pp. |
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Please visit the website Conservation Status Ranks for definitions of the data fields used in this summary report.
Suggested Citation:
B.C. Conservation Data Centre. 1988. Species Summary: Scapanus orarius. B.C. Minist. of Environment. Available: https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/ (accessed Jun 10, 2026).