Fun Facts. The female Water Vole constructs a nest from rushes and dried grass inside her burrow, giving birth to a litter of between 3 and 8 young after a gestation period that lasts for approximately three weeks. Water voles prefer sites with steep or stepped bank profiles into which they can burrow to create nest chambers above the water table. Today, the Water Vole is listed as an animal that is of Least Concern of becoming extinct in the wild in the immediate future, as despite drastic habitat loss, Water Vole populations are still widespread and sustainable in much of their native regions. Water Voles are also commonly confused with the Brown Rat as they share very similar habitats along the riverbanks, have almost identical colouration, and both are adept swimmers. The Water Vole is found throughout the UK and Europe, with its range even extending into parts of Russia and populations are also found in certain parts of Canada and North America. It also means that there is less competition for food from neighbouring rodents like the Brown Rat. Adults weigh 200-350g on average, and will consume approximately 80 per cent of its body weight every day, generally eating a diet of plants found on the banks of waterways. Water voles look similar to rats but they are in a different mammal family . Read more and sign up . Listen to the latest episodes from our country podcast, Water vole guide: how to identify, where to see and top facts, Walk: St Mary’s Island, Northumberland and Tyne and Wear, How to get outdoors this Christmas: best activities, walks and experiences, Water voles thriving in Dorset country park, Water voles resurface in Scotland after 20 years. The Water Vole is a small sized rodent with a dark brown coat of fur, that has a number of black hairs scattered across it, and a lighter, greyish underside. Areas for sleeping, eating and nesting are created along with latrines on the outskirts of their territory, where faeces are deposited to mark the individual Water Vole’s patch. Adult water voles weigh 200-350g on average, and will consume approximately 80 per cent of its body weight every day, generally eating a diet of plants found on the banks of waterways. Restricted to distinct regions of the Northwest, water voles occupy areas stretching from Canada down into Oregon and parts of Utah, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. The latrines that they use on the edges of their territories are almost fully exposed during the summer months as these indicate where a female might be and whether or not she is ready to mate. They do not hibernate over winter but do spend more time in their burrows, often … Their vast reduction in numbers in recent years however is not just caused by this high level of predation, as the loss of much of their natural habitats has had a much more drastic effect. Despite their almost solely herbivorous diet, Water Voles are also known to feed on Insects and small aquatic animals such as Fish (particularly dead ones as they are easier to catch) when their preferred foods are in short supply. Description: Rat-sized with blunt nose; dark chestnut-brown to black fur; short rounded ears; hair-covered tail, which is about half length of head and body. Its short dense undercoat, covered by the long outer fur, keeps the vole warm and dry. Also known as the European Water Vole, and incorrectly the Water Rat, the Water Vole first became properly famous as the character of Ratty from Kenneth Grahame’s book, The Wind in the Willows, in the early 1900s. Water Voles live along the banks of slow-moving rivers, streams and canals and can also be found nesting in the banks of lakes and marshes. Discover which native land mammals are flourishing in Scotland and which are most at risk. Water vole habitat can be damaged if grazing reduces the height of bankside vegetation. Scotland’s water voles are genetically distinct from most of those in England and Wales. Water voles build extensive burrow systems in the banks of waterways, generally nesting in the steepest parts of the banks. Notoriously shy, water vole (Arvicola amphibius) could once be seen peeping out of riverbank nooks and crannies throughout the British countryside.Then, their numbers started dropping in the UK due to habitat loss. Take a look at six fungi species, some more common than others, that you might discover fruiting during November. But desperate losses in the lowlands mean that water voles are now mainly restricted to the smaller tributaries and headwaters of our upland rivers. Water voles are blind when they are born and usually leave the nest after four months. One of the Water Voles most characteristic traits amongst rodents, is their ability to dive right into the water, a behaviour which is thought to help protect them from the many predators that they share their habitats with. Water Voles have a predominantly vegetarian diet, feeding on grasses along the riverbanks and aquatic plants that grow in the slow-moving waters. Water voles are active during the day. Conservation of water voles. Females mark their territories using discrete latrine sites, close to the burrows and at the boundaries. The similar brown rat is larger, with grey-brown fur, a pointed nose, large ears that protrude from its fur, and a long, scaly tail. The water vole is a much-loved British mammal better known as ‘Ratty’ in the children’s classic The Wind in the Willows. 13. It inhabits the banks of rivers, ponds and canals, but in other parts of the world it is less aquatic and lives mainly on pasture land. The Water Vole is a small species of semi-aquatic rodent that is found along the riverbanks throughout the UK and Europe. how to submit records of mammal sightings, guidance for planners and developers on protected animals, habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation due to damaging riparian management – e.g. Sadly, it’s now one of our most threatened native mammals. Researchers found that the small rodents were living in a rough area of grassland, with some even existing by the side of motorway. View water vole facts. Critter Control Logo. They dig their burrows here too. Mink are more scarce, or even absent, in upland areas. Water Vole - Arvicola amphibius Taxon: Rodentia General fact sheet (click to download) Field sign fact sheet (click to download) Habitat: Rivers and wetland, mixed woodland. Sign in to manage your newsletter preferences. © Copyright Critter Control. Find out about the water vole as a protected species. In fact, the European water vole can swim up to 50 ft. underwater. Due to its small size and the fact that it lives both on land and in the water, Water Voles are prey to numerous predators wherever they appear to live. We use cookies to provide you with a better service. Unfortunately, the future of this charming riverside creature is in peril; the water vole needs urgent help to survive in the UK. The European water vole or northern water vole (Arvicola amphibius, included in synonymy: A. terrestris), is a semi-aquatic rodent.It is often informally called the water rat, though it only superficially resembles a true rat. Some North American vole species are arboreal, like the red tree vole. Enemies. Water voles have rounder noses than rats, deep brown fur, chubby faces and short fuzzy ears and unlike the rat their tails, paws and ears are covered with hair. What are the best apartment dogs? The voles that colonised England and Wales following the last ice age were from South East Europe.

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