Into the jaws of death ...

Although I tend to take what I hope are 'attractive' photographs, I am drawn to the 'grim' in other peoples work. So, today, I bring you the grim side of nature - a dead mole Talpa europaea.

Moles, being as they are troglodytes by nature, are usually pretty safe from predators. This all changes in mid-summer when the newly weaned young of the year are evicted from their mothers' territories and head off to find a home of their own. When young moles disperse they usually do so above ground looking for a vacant patch of ground. Whilst they are on the surface moles are terribly vulnerable to predation by birds and mammals, and to being run over by vehicular traffic.

Some will fail to find a home and will die of starvation or thirst; this was probably the fate of the mole in today's blip.

Zoomify to enjoy the dentition.