This is how you react correctly

The mole under conservation

According to the Federal Species Protection Ordinance (BArtSchV), the mole is one of the particularly protected animal species. As a result, it is forbidden to kill him, to catch him or to tear him out of his environment:

“It is forbidden to... stalk wild animals of the specially protected species, to catch them, to injure them or to kill or to take their forms of development from nature, to damage or to destroy... "(BNatSchG § 44)

What does that mean for you?

If you find a healthy mole in your garden that just happens to be taking a walk on your lawn, you must not remove this mole from its habitat. You are only allowed to touch and take care of moles when they need help. This is the case if:

• the mole in winter lying cold in the garden,
• the mole is injured or sick,
• You find a baby mole without a mother,
• the mole lies on your meadow for a long time during the day and does not show any signs of withdrawing.

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 other predator, it needs urgent medical care. If you need immediate help because the vet is closed or too far away, do the following:

1. Check the animal for parasites such as maggots or fly eggs and remove them with tweezers.
2. If the animal is hypothermic, warm it up with a hot water bottle or a cherry stone pillow. Don't use red light!
3. Moles have to eat all the time. Even half a day without food can mean death. Therefore feed the mole you find with spiders, larvae, mealworms or the like. Moles are carnivores! Do not feed the animal until it has warmed up!
4. Put the mole in a box or bucket with enough sand or soil so that it can bury itself. Alternatively, you can temporarily wrap him in a towel to protect him from light.

What to do if I find a baby mole?

Moles are only independent from the eighth week of life. Only in the third week do they open their eyes. If a mole cub is abandoned by its mother during this time, it urgently needs help. Before you take the animal in, you should make sure that it has actually been abandoned. So wait up to two hours before intervening.
Even if a mole baby is found, 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.