The naked mole rat is an exceptional species both for its extraordinary biological characteristics and for its social structure typical of an insect.

For years, The scientific community shows special interest in the innate properties of the naked mole rat (Heterocephalus glaber) and has focused his research on his sensational life expectancy and his immunity to cancer; two aspects absolutely relevant to advances in human health. It has recently been discovered that this mammal could also hold the key to fertility, since it maintains its fertility until its death and females with only eight days of life already have an average of 1,5 million eggs, almost 100 times more than a mouse.

BIOPARC has two groups in a facility specially designed to observe their peculiar behavior and where the last litter can be seen. Images that, together with the shocking video of the birth, would be impossible to admire in nature and allow us to increase knowledge about this impressive animal.

The objective of BIOPARC Valencia is to raise awareness about the need for conserve the rich biodiversity of our planet, offering the opportunity to contemplate, in a recreation of its natural habitat, the most emblematic species and also the most unknown, such as the naked mole rat. If these data are surprising, this small African rodent still hides another peculiarity, since It is the only mammal that develops a social life typical of insects like bees or ants, with collective work perfectly established according to hierarchies. In this sense, It is shocking to see the images recorded in BIOPARC of the only female with reproductive capacity, “the queen,” and how other individuals “attend” the birth, picking up each newborn, one by one, examining it, cleaning it, and beginning its care. As soldiers and workers, each individual has their role in the survival of the group and they even take the queen to breastfeed them as she is the only one who produces milk.

Naked mole rats are fertile throughout their lives: the key to fertility?

The study of this reproductive aptitude has completely broken established schemes, like female mammals have a finite number of eggs. In contrast, naked mole rats are fertile throughout their lives. These discoveries open new avenues of research towards treatments in humans.

BIOPARC's glass enclosure allows observe the tunnels, movements and behaviors of naked mole rat colonies. For most people it is a completely strange animal and understanding its uniqueness is revealing. They can live practically without oxygen and go from having warm to cold blood (like reptiles) depending on the concentration of this gas. They have an enormous resistance to pain, an impressive longevity of up to 30 years and are equipped with four large incisors that they move in all directions at will and that they use to dig their burrows and defend themselves against predators.