Water Vole

Pressures
Water voles were once common and widespread in Britain but now rivers have been engineered, dredged and realigned, wetlands have been drained, farming practice has changed and many natural riverside habitats have been lost to development. For water voles, an additional threat to survival is also present on our waterways in the shape of American mink, which are now living wild in many locations and for whom the humble vole is a favourite prey. Water vole Species Action Plan 

Brown rat
The only waterside species they are likely to be confused with is the brown rat, from which they can easily be distinguished as rats have pointed noses as conspicuous ears which, unlike a water vole’s, are not hidden in their fur. The vole’s hair-covered tail is not as long as a rat’s. Most water voles are dark brown but individuals can vary from reddish brown to almost black. 

Where
They avoid areas where water levels fluctuate and prefer streams, dykes, rivers and ponds with soft, earth banks which they can burrow into. Water voles are expert swimmers, but are not particularly specialised for a life in the water, unlike beavers and otters. They burrow into riverbanks and make a nest, which they line with grass. 

When
Unlike many small mammals, water voles are active during the day but are easily disturbed so a quiet approach is essential. Often the first sign of a water vole is the distinctive plop as it dives for safety into the water. Early in the year, most of the water vole’s time is spent in burrows underground. The breeding season begins at the end of March. Many young voles are born in May and weaned during June. Water voles are at their most numerous during September. 

Things you can do

If your garden backs on to a stream, river, canal or other watercourse: 

• Leave a buffer strip (ideally >2m wide) of grasses and other plants along the water’s edge to provide food and cover for water voles. 
• Mow the buffer strip once a year in autumn to limit scrub colonisation and increase plant diversity. 
• Keep banks open to encourage the lush grasses and other green plants. 
• If appropriate, consider coppicing existing trees and shrubs to increase light levels. 

If your garden is close to a river, stream, canal or other watercourse: 

• Create a pond with an adjacent wetland area, lining the pond in the traditional way with clay if you can, rather than synthetic materials. 
• Site your pond away from overhanging trees. 
• Give the banks of your pond a varied profile, with banks of around 45 degrees for water voles, and shallower sloping areas that can used by amphibians and invertebrates. 
• Ensure that the pond has areas where water is 25cm-50cm deep. 
• Ensure there is open space approximately 10 cm deep along the base of at least one garden boundary to allow access for wildlife. 
• Create a shelf around the edge of the pond that can be planted with marginal plants such as Yellow Flag Iris and rushes. 
• Use the Natural History Museum’s postcode plants database for help in choosing suitable native plants for your pond.