Numerous mole deaths on allotment - whats to blame?

[Lazgaot]

Over the past 3 or so weeks I've discovered 3 dead moles on my allotment. I've found them all lying on the soil surface and all fairly recently dead. My lettuce bed has lots of signs of mole activity and the last two were found right next to this bed.

There isn't any sign of injury or attack (fox etc) to them and I don't dig so I haven't accidentally hit one with a fork or spade.

If anyone hasn't see a mole here's today's casualty.

I noticed my neighbouring allotmenteer had put down some slug pellets round his strawberry plants, about 10m away. I'm wondering whether the mole perhaps ate some pellets or dead slugs/snails and died from poisoning?

Any other ideas?

[Jeanied]

Maybe the run got flooded? My mother used to get rid of them by shoving the hosepipe into the run and leaving it running.

How on earth did it climb up there?


ETA- mother's most effective mole killer was her spaniel, Tess She would leave them on the surface too.

[Lazgaot]

I picked him up to check for injuries and placed him on the post to photograph. He was about 1 foot from the hole when I found him.

We've had some rain but the soil is so sandy it doesn't puddle at all.

[tamsin]

A local vet might do a basic PM if you ask nicely - or maybe via a wildlife sanctuary. I would think poisoning would show up with that.