Blind Mole Rat

Blind mole rats are strange Eurasian mammals that burrow through the ground, largely devoid of sight. In a truly bizarre example of recent evolutionary change, their eyes remain functional, but are covered by a layer of skin, rendering the animals nearly sightless. The covered eyes still allow the mole rats to perceive light and darkness, while the layer of skin seems to protect them from the constant dirt exposure and abrasion. Interestingly, researchers discovered notable physical differences between mole rats living in the same areas. This is thought to have stemmed from lifestyle-based segregation of specific populations.