Western star-nosed mole (SciiFii)

The western star-nosed mole (Condylura cristata californianus) is a subspecies of star-nosed mole that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout the western United States to help boost biodiversity. The western star-nosed mole is slightly larger than the eastern star-nosed mole subspecies, but like the eastern star-nosed mole subspecies, the western star-nosed mole has a highly specialized sensory-motor organ shaped by 22 fleshy finger-like appendages, or tendrils, that ring their nostrils and are in constant motion as the mole explores its environment. The western star-nosed moles are also able to smell underwater, accomplished by exhaling air bubbles onto objects or scent trails and then inhaling the bubbles to carry scents back through the nose. The western star-nosed mole primarily lives in wet lowland areas, although it is also adapted to more arid environments (unlike the eastern subspecies), and eats small invertebrates such as insects, worms, and mollusks, as well as small amphibians and small fish. The western star-nosed mole is a colonial animal like other species of moles. The conservation status of the western star-nosed mole is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts, the western star-nosed mole's wide range and its tolerance to many of the human activities.