Cape golden mole

{{Short description|Species of mammal}}

{{Speciesbox

| name = Chrysochloris asiatica

| image = Chrysochloris asiatica 270437025.jpg

| image_caption = Cape golden mole adult

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = {{cite iucn |author=Bronner, G. |date=2015 |title=Chrysochloris asiatica |volume=2015 |page=e.T40600A21288387 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T40600A21288387.en |access-date=13 November 2021}}

| genus = Chrysochloris

| species = asiatica

| authority = (Linnaeus, 1758)

| range_map = Cape Golden Mole area.png

| range_map_caption = Cape golden mole range

| synonyms = {{Collapsible list

| Chrysochloris asiatica bayoni De Beaux, 1921

|Chrysochloris capensis Lacépède, 1799

|Chrysochloris calviniae Shortridge, 1942

|Chrysochloris concolor Shortridge & Carter, 1938

|Chrysochloris damarensis Ogilby, 1838

|Chrysochloris dixoni Broom, 1946

|Chrysochloris elegans Broom, 1946

|Chrysochloris minor Roberts, 1919

|Chrysochloris namaquensis Broom, 1907

|Chrysochloris rubra Lacépède, 1799

|Chrysochloris shortridgei Broom, 1946

|Chrysochloris taylori Broom, 1950

|Chrysochloris tenuis Broom, 1907

|Chrysochloris visserae Broom, 1950

|Sorex auratus Vosmaer, 1787

|Talpa asiatica Linnaeus, 1758

|Talpa aurea Pallas, 1778

|Talpa inaurata Pallas, 1777

}}

}}

The Cape golden mole (Chrysochloris asiatica) is a small, insectivorous mammal of the family Chrysochloridae, the golden moles. The species is a solitary subterranean insectivore, confined to the coastal regions of the southwestern and southern Cape in South Africa. When foraging for small, soil invertebrates and small lizards, these golden moles excavate superficial burrows using their conical nose shield and highly modified forefeet.{{cite web | url=https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Chrysochloris_asiatica/ | title=Chrysochloris asiatica (Cape golden mole) | website=Animal Diversity Web }} Females are smaller than males. Golden moles have very dense, soft, and silky coats. The coats are colored blackish to slaty-grey and brown to pale fawn. They have also been observed to venture onto sandy beaches, presumably to feed on amphipods and isopods occurring there.{{cite journal |last1=BENNETT, AND SPINKS |title=hermoregulation and metabolism in the Cape golden mole (Insectivora: Chrysochloris asiatica) |journal=Journal of Zoology, London |date=1995 |volume=236 |issue=3 |pages=521–529|doi=10.1111/j.1469-7998.1995.tb02729.x }}