When should water voles be surveyed?

When should water voles be surveyed?

Surveys should be done between April and October by an ecologist experienced in water vole ecology. Closely examine the waterway and pond banks, up to at least 2 metres from the water.

What time of day are water voles most active?

“Lawns” of closely cropped grass, occasionally with piles of chopped food, may surround burrow entrances. Water voles tend to be active more during the day than at night. Male voles live along about 130 metres of water bank, while females have ranges about 70 metres long.

Why are water vole numbers going down?

Habitat loss and degradation Flooding and drought both cause population declines, with drought being the more serious threat as it leaves them very vulnerable predation. Sympathetic management of both the waterway and its banks can enhance the suitability of the habitat for water voles.

How do you find a water vole?

Sometimes mistaken for brown rats, which can be found in a similar habitat, the water vole can be identified by their silky, yellowish-brown to dark brown coat, blunt nose, rounded body and long tail. The brown rat is larger with a pointer nose.

Are water voles an endangered species?

Not extinct
Water voles/Extinction status

What protection do water voles have?

Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
Water voles are fully protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended). Water voles are protected against intentional killing, capture or injury and intentional or reckless disturbance, obstruction, damage or destruction or their burrows.

How big can water voles get?

Water voles reach 14–22 centimetres (5.5–8.7 in) in length, plus a tail which is about half the length of the body.

Do water voles need running water?

Water voles are found in a wide variety of wetland habitats. They have a general preference for still or slow-flowing water, with lush riparian bankside vegetation and steep, earthen banks into which they can burrow.

Are water voles endangered UK?

Protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981. Water voles are listed as endangered on both the Great Britain and the England Red List for Mammals.

What size are water voles?

Are water voles and water rats the same?

At WWT Slimbridge, the length of bank used by water voles went from just 250m to over 15 kilometres in just four years thanks to the careful management of our ditches….Water vole vs brown rat.

Do water voles carry disease?

Although sometimes known as water rats, water voles have blunter heads and smaller tails, and do not spread diseases or cause the same damage as land rats.

When is the best time to do a water vole survey?

In upland habitats or northern parts of the UK the survey period is shorter (generally mid-May to mid-September, or June to August in upland Scotland). Within the survey period at least two survey visits are recommended. Water vole activity declines in the winter, and the species becomes harder to detect.

Can a licensed ecologist handle a water vole?

Only licensed ecologists are permitted to handle the water voles. The habitats of common water voles are not specifically protected. If development is likely to affect potential water vole habitat, a survey will be required in order to confirm their presence or likely absence from the site.

What can Acer ecology do for water voles?

Acer Ecology has extensive experience in surveying and designing mitigation for water voles and can advise you on survey methodology, legal protection, mitigation options and the timing of development works.

What kind of sound does a water vole make?

Plopping Sound – It is important to be quiet as possible during a water vole survey. This gives you a better chance of hearing the characteristic ‘plop’ sound a water vole often makes when entering the water. The sound is similar to that of a rock being dropped from a height into a pool of water.