Dr Daniel Hart is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pretoria. His research focuses on the evolutionary physiological and biomedical studies of African vertebrates.

Dr Daniel Hart was part of an international team with Prof Nigel Bennett whose research into African mole-rats was not only published in the distinguished journal Science but made the cover.

Prof Nigel Bennett, a professor in UP’s Department of Zoology and Entomology, and post-doctoral fellow Dr Daniel Hart worked closely with the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in Berlin, Germany on their recent research, the findings of which show that mole-rats communicate in their own dialect.

He tells us more about their groundbreaking research.

What makes African mole-rats so interesting?
DH: They are great models to show how animals adapt to their environment. For example, their broad spectrum of sociality has been brought about by the different species inhabiting different climatic regions. Simultaneously, their incredible ability to withstand hypoxic (low oxygen) conditions has come about because of their exclusive subterranean lifestyle.

What made you focus your research on them?
DH: When I began my research career, a wise mentor gave me a piece of advice: study animals that you can ask interesting questions about. So far, I have not found an animal that you can ask more interesting questions about than African mole-rats ­­– the number of exciting questions and answers that mole-rats have to offer drew me to studying them.

How does their social and communication habits have an impact on how we understand them?

DH: Naked mole-rats live in large families (50 to 60 individuals), with some colonies reaching 300, controlled by one female, the queen. Each colony member has its own “job”, and everyone recognises their own colony and family members, even in the dark. Even after the vast number of studies on these amazing animals, how the colony structure is maintained has somewhat eluded us. But, like humans, it may come down to dialects to some extent. From this study, we have learnt that each mole-rat colony has its own dialect, dictated by the queen, allowing colony cohesion and detection of intruders. Interestingly, this dialect can be learnt, which is an uncommon ability in most animals. This new understanding brings us closer to figuring out how these large families work together and stay together. This understanding can possibly help us in furthering our knowledge about human dialects.

Are there any other animals that provide as interesting an array of applications as the mole-rat?

DH: We are fortunate, as Africa has a treasure trove of unique animals with remarkable features and abilities. One such animal we are working on is the tenrec, which is a fantastic model of a prehistoric mammal. With these animals, we hope to peer back in time to unravel essential questions about evolution. Like the mole-rats, they also possess remarkable physiological and molecular traits, which could be vital to biomedical studies.

What do you do in your spare time?
DH: I have quite a big interest in other scientific subjects, namely astrophysics, astronomy and cosmology. I also enjoy listening to books or podcasts on these subjects and reading articles when I get a chance. Also, I am passionate about sport, so I enjoy catching up on the world’s sporting events when I can.