Water Vole

Photos by Paul Murrihy

Water Voles are a red-listed animal and are listed and protected under the Countryside & Wildlife act 1981. They are also a priority species in the UK post-2010 biodiversity framework .

Their natural habitat is along banks of rivers, streams and ditches but they can also be found on banks of ponds, lakes, marshes and reedbeds. They dig out burrows on banks, usually in a grass area ( which is their main diet ) so if you're trying to find evidence of water voles, look out for small lawn areas. They are semi aquatic and are really good swimmers.

Breeding time is in spring and they can have up to four litters a year with up to five young per litter.

Adults are up to 22 cm long and their tail up to 14cm long and are often mistaken for brown rats. Weight 150 - 300g with a short lifespan of 0.5 - 1.5 years .

The easiest way to tell them apart from a brown rat is by the furry tails (rat tails are naked. Voles also have small rounded noses and short ears .

Water voles have many predators such as foxes, otters, stoats, weasels, rats, owls, herons, pike and domestic cats, but the biggest threat is the American mink. Escapees from mink farms spread through the country with a disastrous effect on wildlife, especially the water vole. Their numbers are now falling but if you do spot a mink, please report it immediately to DEFRA!

There are several breeding programs for water voles throughout the UK so hopefully they will come back from the brink of extinction.

For more information, please visit  https://watervole.org.uk

Photos by Paul Murrihy