Water Vole
Arvicola amphibius
Tap image to enlarge · Wikimedia Commons
Overview
Britain's fastest-declining mammal. Water Voles have been lost from 95% of their former sites, largely due to American Mink predation. The Sefton Coast has pockets of suitable habitat in the network of ditches behind the sea wall. If you hear a 'plop' as you walk beside a ditch and see ripples, that might be a Water Vole.
At a Glance
| Order | Rodentia |
| Family | Cricetidae |
| Habitat | Drainage ditch · Reed bank · Slow-moving freshwater edge |
| Diet | Aquatic and bankside vegetation — grasses, sedges, rushes |
| UK population | Estimated 132,000 — declined by 95% since the 1970s |
| Sefton Coast | Present in suitable habitat but at low density; pockets in the ditch network behind the sea wall |
| Conservation | UK Red List |
Where to See It
Dense reed and rush beds alongside drainage channels behind the Sefton Coast sea wall. Any suitable slow-moving water with good bankside vegetation.
Identification
Like a fat, blunt-nosed brown rat with a short tail. Much rounder face than Brown Rat, smaller ears, shorter tail. Chestnut-brown. Swims readily.
Viewing & Photography Tips
Sit quietly beside a suitable ditch in May or June. Look for 'plop' entry into water and piles of neatly cut grass stems at the water's edge. A latrine (pile of small, cylindrical, olive-green droppings) confirms their presence.
Conservation Status
UK Red List
This species is of serious conservation concern in the UK. Its presence on the Sefton Coast is important for local and national monitoring and habitat management.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why have Water Voles declined so severely in the UK?
The primary cause of the 95% decline in Water Voles is predation by American Mink, which were released or escaped from fur farms from the 1950s onwards. Mink can follow voles into their burrows and devastate entire colonies. Habitat loss (drainage of ditches, channel management) is a secondary factor. Trapping of Mink is now a key part of Water Vole conservation.
Plan your visit to the Sefton Coast
Marshside RSPB, Formby pinewoods, Ainsdale NNR — practical guides to getting there, what to bring, and the best spots for each season.