Mole

The mole is a burrowing insectivore of the taxonomic family Talpidae. They are best known for their burrowing habits and their poor eyesight.

Habits
Moles are literally built for digging, typically having proportionately huge shovel-like forepaws turned outward. Their sense of smell is very keen while their ears and eyes are comparatively very small. The golden mole does not have eyes at all. A mole's home territory is usually in established tunnel systems, since digging new tunnels requires a tremendous energy output. Moles tend to be rather anti-social and territorial.

The way moles have been adopted into stories ironically has little or nothing to do with their real-life habits. Probably due to their soft fur and pudgy appearance, moles have historically been characterized as friendly, simple people. (One notable exception is the mole from the fairy tale Thumbelina, who is the villain!) They show up repeatedly in English literature. One of the main characters in Graeme's Wind in the Willows series is a mole, called "Mole" or "Moley"; they are also a staple in the Redwall series.