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Water vole - update

The following are brief summaries of some of the action that we and our partners have done since the Species Action Framework was launched. They're in chronological order, with the most recent updates at the top of the page.

13 May 2011

Trial reintroduction of water vole to the Aberfoyle area of Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park - The reintroduction phase of this project is complete, but this is only just the beginning, of course, and work is ongoing to maintain and expand the mink control effort and monitoring how the water voles colonise new areas. The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland have seconded a member of their staff as Water Vole Project Officer for two half days per week, with support being provided by Forestry Commission Scotland and the Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park Authority.  This year the intention is to increase volunteer input into mink monitoring. The key priorities for further work are:

  • Establishing where the voles have spread to outwith the original project area, by targeting suitable habitat;
  • Increasing mink raft coverage in these areas (and the wider area generally) with the help of landowners and volunteers;
  • Establishing whether there are any issues concerning the genetic viability of the released population and addressing these, if required.

Although the SAF funding for this project has now come to an end, Scottish Natural Heritage remains supportive of the work and is involved with the project through the Project Steering Group. However, other SAF-funded work that will benefit water voles continues - find out more at our American mink  page.

7 December 2009

Trial reintroduction of water vole to the Aberfoyle area of Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park - This is a three year partnership project involving Forestry Commission Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and the Kilgarth Development Company, Derek Gow Associates and Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority. The project aims to re-instate water voles in restored wetland sites in the Aberfoyle area. All of the animals being released have been bred from voles that were originally captured on a development site near Glasgow.

The focus of the project has been on the forest habitat network that includes 1700 ha of restored wetlands along a 20km stretch of mainline watercourse in the Duchray and Kelty water systems, both of which flow through Loch Ard Forest.

The first stage of the trial began in 2008 when 586 voles were released at restored wetland habitat sites within the forest. The animals were released at five sites with the intention of creating a metapopulation, where animals from different release sites would disperse and find other released animals to breed with. The release sites were chosen based on the quality of the wetland habitat, suitability for water voles and ease of protecting the site from mink.

The water voles were released in two stages during 2008, the timing coinciding with abundant summer vegetative food and cover abundance. Water levels are less prone to fluctuation at this time of year giving the voles the best chance of establishing at this site. The precise location of each pen was carefully selected within 2m of the water's edge.

Monitoring surveys were carried out at the release sites involving careful examination of the river banks and adjacent drainage channels up to 20m from the main river. The water voles initially appeared to establish quickly at all release sites with varying levels of field signs recorded. Most survived their first winter and went on to breed and disperse.

In May and August 2009 there were further releases. Monitoring will continue throughout the year, to assess how well the water voles are doing. The monitoring will also help assess the need for a further release in 2010, to help ensure the genetic health of the population.

Mink have been carefully monitored throughout the Duchray and Kelty catchments for the duration of the project and beyond. Around 30 mink rafts have been set on the Duchray and Kelty Water catchments at 1km intervals or less. The number of rafts has varied as extra rafts / traps are put out to focus trapping efforts in some areas when mink signs are detected. All rafts are checked fortnightly and when signs of mink are recorded, traps have been put out immediately and checked daily until the animal is caught.

16 May 2008

The following work is currently in progress:

1. Identification of sites which are suitable for re-establishing populations.

2. Preparation for a trial reintroduction of water voles at a site near Aberfoyle in Trossachs, using captive-bred water voles, mostly originating from translocated stock from North Lanarkshire. The first releases are planned for July 2008. The project is being taken forward as a partnership led by Forestry Commission Scotland, which owns the land and is responsible for extensive habitat improvements and on-going mink control.

3. See also the Species Action Framework American mink update page, which describes the North West Highlands Mink Control Initiative that is directly relevant to water vole conservation in northern Scotland. Likewise, the proposed GB mink control LIFE+ bid is also relevant to water vole.