Living With Water Voles

Water voles have simple requirements - clean water, lots of lush vegetation and plenty of hiding places from predators.

Water voles will live in ponds, streams, ditches, canals and lakes as long as there is enough water to allow them to escape from predators by swimming or diving.

Download our Living With Water Voles leaflet (left) for more information on how to make riverside gardens water vole-friendly!

Rats are a threat to water vole colonies. Although the problem isn't fully understood yet, it is clear that when rats move into an area any water voles there will disappear. We know that rats prey on young water voles, but they may also attack the adults or spread diseases.

Careful rat control will benefit water voles, but only where it is carried out sympathetically to the voles. Water voles and rats are often confused as they are similar in appearance - if in doubt contact the Project for help.

Our Rat Control leaflet gives more information on how to control rats without harming water voles and how to tell the difference between the two species.