If you’ve ever travelled to an Australian desert, you may have been in the presence of one of Australia’s most elusive marsupials. The Anangu people call it the itjaritjari but it is more commonly known as the marsupial mole – even though it is not actually a mole. Living entirely underground, this eye-less creature with pincer-like limbs has mostly defied scientific study until one scientist decided to bury some microphones … Benjamin Law talks to Chris McCormack about his trip to Uluru in pursuit of this remarkable animal.

Photograph: Auscape International Pty Ltd/Alamy Stock Photo/Alamy Stock Photo