Where are all the water voles?

A water vole project is in development as part of the Natural Heritage work being undertaken within Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere. The plan is to enable volunteers to carry out surveys to establish the presence or absence of water voles across the Biosphere area.  This project will continue an earlier focus on water voles during the Building Opportunity in the Biosphere project when a range of water vole experts and enthusiasts came together for a one day symposium.

Although there have been many water vole surveys carried out with the Biosphere, there are also many gaps in the records of their presence and, as they are one of the nine High Focus species selected as of great importance and concern within the Biosphere, one of the aims is to achieve a better understanding of their current presence and the obstacles to widening their occurrence. The project will bring together groups that have previously undertaken water vole studies, along with volunteers new to such work. For more details and how to get involved please contact Wendy; wendy@gsabiosphere.org.uk.

Photo by Stuart Brabbs