Water vole foraging on a floating log in shallows of a water channel

European water vole

Water voles are widespread around Europe, living in the banks of slow moving rivers, streams and other waterways. The waterside burrows of these strong swimmers have many floor levels that hinder flooding, as well as nesting chambers and a food store for the long winter months. Although water voles are a quick meal for many predators, the UK population suffered a catastrophic level of predation by the American mink. Water voles are often mistaken for rats. Ratty, in Kenneth Grahame's 'The Wind in the Willows', was actually a water vole.

Scientific name: Arvicola amphibius

Rank: Species

Common names:

  • Eurasian water vole,
  • Water rat,
  • Water vole

Watch video clips from past programmes (8 clips)

In order to see this content you need to have an up-to-date version of Flash installed and Javascript turned on.

View all 8 video clips

Distribution

The European water vole can be found in a number of locations including: Europe, Russia, United Kingdom, Wales. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.

Habitats

The following habitats are found across the European water vole distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.

Behaviours

Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.

Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web

Conservation Status

Least Concern

  1. EX - Extinct
  2. EW
  3. CR - Threatened
  4. EN - Threatened
  5. VU - Threatened
  6. NT
  7. LC - Least concern

Population trend: Stable

Year assessed: 2008

Classified by: IUCN 3.1

About

The European Water Vole or Northern Water Vole, Arvicola amphibius (formerly A. terrestris), is a semi-aquatic rodent. It is often informally called the Water Rat or Ratty, although it only superficially resembles a true rat. Water voles have rounder noses than rats, deep brown fur, chubby faces and short fuzzy ears; unlike rats their tails, paws and ears are covered with hair.

In the wild, they survive for 2 years on average; most do not survive a second winter. In captivity, they normally start to deteriorate in condition as they approach their third year, becoming thinner and losing much of their fur; they nearly all die during their third winter.

The water vole is legally protected in the United Kingdom.

Read more at Wikipedia

This entry is from Wikipedia, the user-contributed encyclopedia. If you find the content in the 'About' section factually incorrect, defamatory or highly offensive you can edit this article at Wikipedia. For more information on our use of Wikipedia please read our FAQ.

Classification

  1. Life
  2. Animals
  3. Vertebrates
  4. Mammals
  5. Rodents
  6. New World rats and mice
  7. Arvicola
  8. European water vole

BBC News about European water vole

Video collections

Take a trip through the natural world with our themed collections of video clips from the natural history archive.

  • Going, going, gone Going, going, gone

    One third of known species are under threat - do they have more than a future on film? We've unearthed footage of some remarkable animals, plants and habitats that are facing an imminent threat to their survival.

bbc.co.uk navigation

BBC © 2012 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.

This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.