The big-headed mole rat is a large rodent of Ethiopia's high-altitude grasslands. It is active by day and digs underground burrows.
It is stocky, with short legs and pale-brown fur. A black patch marks the upper eyelid; small external ears and a narrow whitish tail are visible.
It is diurnal, and individuals maintain solitary tunnel systems underground. It gathers grasses and broad-leaved plants for food; the account records an animal closing a tunnel entrance while bringing plants inside.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.