Although your initial impression might tell you otherwise, you are not actually looking at this mole from behind. That strange, pink feature right in the middle of the creature isn't its backside, or a spider that's dropped onto it from above. That is, in fact, its face! This is a star-nosed mole, which got its name for obvious reasons, and you can find it in the wetter parts of the very north of North America.
The tentacle-like pink legs coming from around its nose are called 'Elmer's organs', and are incredibly sensitive, serving a similar function to a cat's whiskers. They can detect changes in temperature, sense distant vibrations (thus alerting the pole to predators), and of course follow the trail of any smell over long distance. The creature is never going to win any beauty contests, but it would be aware of a gas leak long before you!