Species

Species	Water vole - Arivicola terrestris, mammal
Habitat	REEDBED COASTAL FLOODPLAIN AND GRAZING MARSH RIVERS AND STREAMS
Background and status	The water vole is found throughout Britain but is confined mainly to lowland areas near to water. It was once a common sight along our river banks but has suffered a significant decline in both its numbers and its distribution. A survey in 1989-90 did not find water voles in 67% of the sites in which they had been previously recorded. It is estimated that the population of water voles in the mid 1990s numbered around 1,200,000 animals.
Main Threats	Loss of habitat Increased disturbance along water courses Predation by mink Pollution, including use of rodenticides
Conservation and targets	Maintain current distribution Investigate the water vole's habitat requirements further Reduce the use of rodenticides in areas where the water vole still occurs

HOLD POINTER OVER IMAGE FOR CAPTION INFORMATION AND CLICK TO ENLARGE