Scapanus is a genus of moles in the family Talpidae. They live in North America from west of the Rockies south to Baja California del Norte, and north to British Columbia, wherever conditions permit a mole population; that is to say, apart from the most sandy, rocky, or developed places. As they are one genus, they are very closely related, but as species, they rarely if ever interbreed successfully.

It contains the following species:

• The Broad-footed Mole (Scapanus latimanus)
• Coast Mole (Scapanus orarius)
• Townsend's Mole (Scapanus townsendii)

Distribution

Townsend's Mole is primarily a Californian mole, although its range spills over into neighboring states. The Broad-footed Mole lives primarily in Western Oregon, Washington State, and southwestern British Columbia, where it often overlaps the smaller range of the Pacific or Coast Moles, which, as the name implies, do not tend to range as far inland. How these two species manage to co-exist has been the subject of some research.^{[citation needed]} It may have something to do with large size difference between the two species: the Broad-footed is one of the largest and most powerful moles, while the coastal mole is a quite average-sized mole.

References

• http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Scapanus maps