Looking very much like a mole from 50 million years before, it leads a burrowing existence and has adopted the streamlined shape, velvety fur and spade-like feet of its distant cousin. However, here any resemblance stops. It has two huge tusks extending from its jaws, and a paddle-shaped tail. As it burrows, the animal pushes forward with its feet in a rolling motion so that its tusks ream out the soil in front of it. The loose soil is pushed back by the feet and compacted to the tunnel walls by its tail. As well as eating earthworms and other burrowing invertebrates, it also preys on small surface-living fellow vertebrates, especially mice, voles and lizards.