Water voles are the largest British vole and are often mistaken for a rat. In fact, Ratty from Kenneth Grahame's 'The Wind in the Willows' was actually a water vole.

Life span
Up to 2 years.

Statistics
Body length: 12-20cm, Weight: 70-320g.

Physical Description
Water voles have dark fur, a round body and a short, fat face. They have a long, fur-covered tail.

Distribution
They range across Europe, east to East Siberia and Mongolia. They are widespread across mainland Britain, but are absent from most of the north of Scotland.

Habitat
Water voles inhabit the banks of ditches, dykes, slow-moving rivers and streams, and grassland.

Diet
They feed mainly on grasses and other plant material.

Behaviour
Water voles are expert swimmers, but are not particularly specialised for a life in the water, unlike beavers and otters. They burrow into riverbanks and make a nest, which they line with grass. They are active both day and night.

Males have ranges of about 130m along the river banks, whereas females have smaller ranges of about 70m.

Reproduction
They produce up to five litters from April to September. Females give birth to an average of six young after a gestation period of 20-23 days. The young leave their mother after about 22 days, when she has her next litter.

Conservation status
Water voles are not legally protected in Britain, although they have undergone a long term decline. American mink that have escaped from fur farms are a devastating predator of water voles.