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Water vole’s big Gloucestershire comeback27/06/2011 17:42:42
POPULAR: The water vole Was in danger of being declared locally extinct June 2011: Experts are celebrating rocketing numbers of water voles in Gloucestershire's waterways after the latest survey showed hundreds were living in the county. Just five years ago the wetland mammal was in danger of being declared extinct in Gloucestershire as only a tiny population was known to exist there. Once the seriousness of their situation became obvious efforts were coordinated between Slimbridge Wetland Centre, Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and the Environment Agency to monitor their numbers and improve their habitats. In this area only five breeding pairs were living inside the fox-proof perimeter fence at Slimbridge Wetland Centre. Now at least 300 live on the site and the species has spread to other waterways in the surrounding areas. No coincidence the change of fortune coincides with boost in otter numbers Water voles - once a common sight in Britain - underwent a massive decline in the UK over the past 25 years as they were threatened by introduced mink and habitat loss.
To encourage voles back, wardens at Slimbridge created new ditches and waterways and planted them to give them good cover which is rich in food. It is also probably no coincidence that their rise in numbers has coincided with an increase in otters - a natural enemy of the mink. ‘These rodents showed a very severe decline and the future looked pretty bleak for them so it is fantastic news that once again they could soon be a regular sight on Gloucestershire's waterways.
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