Here at Got Moles, we spend our days thinking about moles and mole behavior—what they eat, where they’re digging tunnels, and how they impact your lawn. One question our customers have frequently asked us is, “Can moles swim?” The answer is yes!
That may be surprising since they spend so much time tunneling through your lawn with their powerful claws. It may seem unlikely that these earth-moving pests could – or would – swim, but they can.
Can Moles Swim? Yes, kind of!
Moles don’t seek out water, but they do have the ability to navigate waterways – if they have to. They can paddle for short distances if they must. Their dense fur offers them some buoyancy, and their strong legs can clumsily get them through the water.
Why Would Moles Need To Swim?
Chances are a mole wouldn’t need to swim since it spends its life underground digging tunnels. There are a few reasons that a mole might find itself in the water.
- To get to the other side of a body of water. If a mole encounters a pond or creek, it might swim if it’s trying to escape a predator or looking for new food sources.
- Flooding. Heavy rainfalls, like those we experience in the Pacific Northwest, might flood their tunnels and force them to swim to the surface to survive.
- An accidental fall into the water would cause them to swim.
What Do Swimming Moles Mean For You And Your Yard?
Now that you know that moles can swim if they have to it can help with mole control and mole problems on your property.
Here are a couple of considerations for your yard and swimming moles:
- If your yard is prone to flooding, it might displace moles, cause them to move to other areas, and cause damage.
- If your yard has water features like a pond or stream or has poor drainage, a mole might swim across this water to reach the drier ground where it can dig its tunnels.
What Can You Do To Prevent Moles & This Unique Mole Issue?
At Got Moles, we know that moles are the digging masters of the underground, and even though they don’t like to, or want to, they will swim if they have to.
If you believe you’ve got moles in your yard, call us. Got Moles has solutions to rid your yard of these digging rodents.