Naturally Native

By Kirsty Pollard

Kirsty Pollard

Naturally Native Project Manager

Nothing better encapsulates an English summer than the gentle lull of a slow moving, meandering river – or a ditch, pond, beck or stream – as far as our Naturally Native team are concerned. It’s fair to say the water vole survey season is well underway.

These surveys not only help to identify areas where vulnerable water vole populations may still be hidden away, but they will be crucial to monitoring the impact of the work being delivered by the three North East Wildlife Trusts. Throughout the project, the team will improve 10km of riparian habitat and remove non-native American mink – an introduced predator which is known to have a devastating impact on native wildlife, such as the water vole. As we deliver this work across the Tyne, Wear, and Tees river catchments, we hope to monitor the rate of population growth and expansion of the last few remaining lowland water vole populations. This work could not come soon enough, as previous surveys carried out in 2019 highlighted how fragile these remnant populations are. While finding signs of these charismatic mammals is always the highlight of any water vole enthusiast’s day (topped only by the thrill of an occasional glimpse of an unaware vole), recording water vole absence can be equally useful data in the strategic planning of future work. During surveys, the team are also measuring habitat suitability which will inform planning of future habitat improvements, to ensure isolated populations have opportunities to disperse, and, in some cases, connect with nearby populations. Surveying for water voles, as with most mammals, requires a bit of detective work, as tell-tale signs are sought out along banksides and pond margins. Their ‘latrines’ (or ‘toilets’ to the everyday human) are very distinctive and easily distinguishable from those belonging to similar species. Being almost solely herbivorous, water vole droppings lack the unpleasant odour of rats’, and are a good deal bigger than the similar shaped field vole droppings. While latrines are the pièce de résistance of water vole signs, surveyors also keep a keen eye out for evidence of feeding and active burrows. One drawback of the British summer is, of course, the occasional bit of wet weather. This can make water vole surveys even more of a challenge as latrines and feeding signs are frequently dislodged during heavy showers, or washed away by increased water levels. The use of motion activated camera traps and floating rafts with clay-lined tunnels to capture footprints are being used to help with monitoring. The project’s most valuable resource, however, is the band of dedicated volunteers who are helping survey new areas and monitor favoured vole patches. The support and enthusiasm from volunteers is critical to enabling us to work across such a large and varied landscape. And we always have room for more!

If you are interested in coming out and learning how to survey for water voles, or check footprint rafts (no previous experience or knowledge is required) then please contact Elliot, the Naturally Native Project Officer: elea@durhamwt.co.uk.