Raising Water Vole Awareness

Water Vole Arvicola terrstris - "Don't call me ratty!"

Identification

Water Vole Arvicola terrestris The water vole is our largest native vole. Distinguishing features are a round body, blunt nose and short rounded ears, just visible underneath its thick fur. Its length from head to body is around 20cm. The tail is furry and is an average length of 13cm. Water voles can vary considerably in colour, from reddish brown to almost black. Males are heavier with a mean weight of 300g. Females average about 250g. Generally they have a life expectancy of 3 years, although mortality is high in the first year.

Habitat

Normally inhabits burrows along banks of relatively slow flowing freshwater courses. In the absence of suitable banks water voles may weave ball shaped nests in reed beds.

Diet

Herbivorous, consuming a wide range of riparian species. Although grasses, rushes and sedges are preferred, fruits, bulbs, twigs, buds, and roots are also part of the diet.

Behaviour

Water voles are highly evolved swimmers. They are predominantly diurnal and normally live in small groups. Adults are highly territorial, scent marking their territories and attacking invading voles that do not heed this warning. Water voles do not hibernate but activity falls significantly during winter with the animals spending significantly longer in nests.

Signs

Water Vole tracks The main things to look out for are latrines containing lozenge shaped droppings (about 1cm in length). Footprints are splayed and almost star like with four toes showing on the front foot and five on the rear. Though cut reeds may also be a sign of water vole presence, field voles also leave similar foraging signs.

Threats

The main causes obstacles facing with British water voles are: - loss and fragmentation of (particularly riparian) habitats; predation by escaped mink as well as domestic pets; and pollution of watercourses. Poisoning by rodenticides seems to be declining in line with the falling use of such chemicals.

Conservation status

Although globally they are not considered under threat, water voles are currently the most endangered mammals in Britain. A national survey during the 1990s water vole presence levels to have dropped 71% to 4.5% over 9 years. Water voles are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, section 5. While this offers some protection to both the voles and the areas they are using, clearly more must be done to sustain Britains water vole populations.

How can you help?

Clackmannanshire Council's biodiversity department is surveying the district for water voles and their tracks and signs. Volunteers are most welcome to help, through involvement in the survey or by reporting sightings of water voles. If you are interested in helping with any surveying work, require extra survey sheets or have a sighting to report, please contact the Biodiversity officer.