There are about 21 species in this family. They are found in southern Africa.

Golden moles are 3-7 inches long and have thick fur, small ears, short tails, and skin-covered eyes. While they are called golden moles, not all members of this family are gold. They can vary in color from black to yellow.

They have a thick-skinned nose that they use to burrow into the ground and short, powerful front legs with strong front claws, with an extra-long third claw that they use for digging into the ground. Golden moles have five toes on their webbed hind feet that help them push away dirt as they tunnel underground.

Golden moles live underground. They eat earthworms, millipedes, termites, and other insects.

Most species are solitary and territorial. They spend most of their time in underground tunnels. Some species come to the surface. The giant golden mole forages in forest leaf litter for food, and the rough-haired golden mole will often come to the surface of grasslands after rain to look for food.