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The effects of breeding season and reproductive status on female reproduction were investigated in the common mole‐rat, Cryptomys hottentotus hottentotus, a co‐operatively breeding rodent that exhibits seasonal breeding and a reproductive division of labour. Body mass, reproductive tract morphometrics, ovarian histology and plasma testosterone concentrations were studied in 80 females from 42 wild‐caught colonies. Although the birth of offspring is restricted to the summer, qualitative analysis of ovarian histology revealed that females retained reproductive function during the winter non‐breeding period. Seasonal differences were found in ovarian morphometrics and testosterone concentrations and are probably associated with the occurrence of pregnancy in reproductive females during the breeding period. The continuance of reproductive function during the non‐breeding period in female common mole …