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Czech construction company harnesses animal power 

CZECH construction firm Kuhn-Bohemia has introduced an innovative newenvironmentally-friendly tunnelling machine – powered by moles.

The Czechoslovak Grey Szubak mole has long been an environmental issue, its large sizeand propensity for tunnelling damaging the habitat of other native species and disrupting

human construction projects. At around three times the size of the conventional European

mole, the Grey Szubak can excavate an area of around four cubic metres an hour andduring breeding season, mated pairs have been recorded digging burrows that cover over 

three square miles of territory.

Czech engineer Jervy Zckawiski, a hobby zoologist, introduced the idea of using GreySzubaks in construction excavation projects last year by fencing mated pairs within an

enclosed space at a building project south of the small town of Usti Nad Labem. By

carefully inserting wooden stakes treated with sap from the Gnari oak (which repels the

moles), he was able to direct the tunnelling of the Grey Szubaks. Over a seven day period, the amount of earth excavated by the moles was equal to 75% of that achievable

using conventional construction equipment, at zero environmental cost.

Parent company Kuhn-Bohemia learned of Zckawiski’s project and commissioned him to

work with their equipment engineers to integrate the moles into larger scale, mobileexcavation equipment.

“When we saw the work that (Jerzy) had done outside Usti and Plareb, we perceived an

innovative way to meet our high environmental standards and break new ground inexcavation machinery,” said Milan Knoteks, director of Kuhn-Bohemia’s Prague

operations.

The first prototype of the Morvska (mole-digging) vehicle was unveiled at a display site

on the outskirts of Prague. The Morvska contains 12 mated pairs of Grey Szubaks in a

cage at the front of the vehicle, separated due to their vicious temper. Each compartmentcontains water and feed supplies run off from a central source. The vehicular component

of the Morvska runs on a 70/30 diesel hybrid fuel mix, but once manoeuvred to the dig

site can remain stationary with the engine off as the moles dig.

Positioned next to a conventional tunnelling machine, the crew operating the Morvska

 placed the wooden stakes and released the moles. Over the course of an hour, the moles

excavated an area equal to 65% of the conventional machinery, but with no exhaustemissions. Other Czech construction firms have shown interest in the Morvska design but

Kuhn-Bohemia has not stated any plans to sell the vehicles outside of their own use as

yet.

“It is certainly less polluting than a normal machine,” said mole technician Dusan

Milena. “It’s also less noisy – the moles squeal a lot when they fight and mate, but once

they are digging it is very quiet and peaceful.”