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Rescuing Ratty
Water Shrews
Water Voles
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Rescuing Ratty
Location: Northumberland
Northumbria Mammal Group is currently undertaking a major survey into the remaining water vole and water shrew populations in the North East region with the assistance of Northumberland Wildlife Trust.
A century of agricultural intensification, unparalleled wetland drainage, disastrous river management and the introduction of an alien predator (the mink) have reduced the water vole to almost extinction in many parts of the country. Similarly, numbers in Northumberland have declined from 55% of sites surveyed showing habitation by water voles in 1989-90, to only 8.7% in 1996-98 – a decrease of over 80% and thought to be nearer 95% today.
Conservation work planned will include river restoration schemes; strategic mink control; working with volunteers to carry out survey work; advising landowners, farmers and other land managers, plus alerting planners and developers to any potentially damaging effects their actions may have on water vole populations.
Extensive studies of our local water vole populations in upland areas of Northumberland was carried out in 2004 thanks to Local Heritage Initiative funding. This follows on from work done in North Tyneside during 2003 in which an alarming drop in water vole numbers was recorded.
By working alongside key landowners and agencies, such as the Environment Agency, the emphasis is now focussed on upland areas of Northumberland, including Allendale, which have shown the most promising evidence of remaining water vole populations.
Northumberland Wildlife Trust have a successful record in species protection projects and have already helped otter populations to increase substantially over recent years – they can now be found throughout the North East region. In a bizarre twist, it now looks likely that the increase in otter numbers has had a major impact in reducing the presence of the introduced North American mink in the region which threaten the water vole. A state of affairs that is being mirrored in many parts of the country with recovering otter populations. So a healthy wetland system with a healthy otter population can mean many fewer mink to predate any remaining water voles. This may give the water vole a chance of recovery if habitat improvements can be combined and legislation strengthened.
NWT's Kevin O’Hara, Wetland Conservation Officer said:"The research already taken place shows us that in areas with diverse and abundant habitat available, predator control – both natural and man-induced on problem species such as mink, water voles can survive and even increase. "
Surveys have shown that nationally water voles have disappeared from more than 89 per cent of the sites they occupied just 60 years ago. Despite this, the water vole has currently only partial protection under the Wildlife & Countryside Act but this is currently being reviewed to strengthen legislation for the species.
It is an offence to destroy or damage a known water vole burrow but water voles themselves have no protection.
When and if the new recommendation is adopted however, it is hoped that full legal protection of the water vole will deter incidents of deliberate persecution and will require local authorities, developers and landowners to act more responsibly towards the water vole.
Water Shrews
Water Voles
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