We can still rescue Ratty
Encouraging trends relating to the UK’s water vole population are emerging, which show there is still hope for the threatened mammal.
While a new report from charity the Wildlife Trusts identifies continued declines in water vole populations, data shows heartening increases in areas where conservation efforts have been focused.
Famously known as Ratty in Kenneth Grahame's children's tale, The Wind in the Willows, the water vole is listed as endangered on both the Great Britain and the England Red List for Mammals.
Statistics from the National Water Vole Database Project Report show an overall population decline and a 39% decrease in the number of areas occupied by water voles compared to 2006.
However, when the data is examined more closely, it shows some important local pockets of populations have been increasing, with 11 new key areas identified in recent years.
"It’s heartening to see that we can still rescue Ratty, if we all plan well and co-ordinate our efforts."
Ali Morse, water policy manager at The Wildlife Trusts, says, “The data is giving us a very clear message. The overall national picture is one of decline due to the destruction of natural habitats and predation by the non-native American mink.
"However, water vole populations will thrive when the right conditions are created. It’s heartening to see that we can still rescue Ratty, if we all plan well and co-ordinate our efforts.
“Water voles are mini ecosystem engineers, rather like beavers, and they contribute greatly to healthy river ecology. Reversing their historic loss needs to be a key focus of our conservation efforts.”
Regionally important areas which have been newly identified, or which have expanded since the last analysis, include areas where conservation work to support the return of water voles has been undertaken.
Morse continued, “Just because voles are present, it doesn’t mean they are thriving. We still need to ensure that that we provide undisturbed riverbanks, reedbeds and ponds, and remove the non-native American mink that have devastated water vole populations, to allow their numbers to build up once more.
“Bringing back resilient populations requires a coordinated approach. We need to help populations expand from remaining strongholds, by ensuring that developers, land managers, farmers and conservationists all work in tandem.”