




Arvicola amphibius
The European Water Vole is a small, furry animal that loves to live near water. They are great swimmers and often make their homes in burrows by riverbanks and ponds.
Habitat: Wetlands
The European Water Vole has a stocky, rounded body covered in dense, dark brown fur, often with a paler belly. It has small, almost hidden ears, a blunt nose, and a short, hairy tail, making it visually distinct from rats.





Category
MammalsRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
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A female water vole can have up to five litters of babies in just one year!
Their front teeth grow constantly, so they must chew tough plants to keep them short!
They create special 'feeding platforms' along riverbanks where they leave piles of nibbled plant stems!
Water voles often sit up on their hind legs to eat, just like tiny bears!
European Water Vole can dive and swim expertly because of its dense, waterproof fur, helping it escape predators underwater.
European Water Vole can dig intricate tunnel systems because of its strong claws and robust build, providing safe homes.
European Water Vole has an excellent sense of smell that helps them find hidden food and detect danger even in dense vegetation.
These plant-eaters munch on a variety of fresh greens found near water, loving grasses and sedges.

Lutra lutra
Otters hunt water voles, especially when other prey is scarce.

Tyto alba
Owls often prey on water voles active near water at dusk.
Mustela putorius
Polecats are agile hunters of voles in riparian habitats.

Phragmites australis
Consumes various parts of reeds, a common food source.
Carex acuta
Sedges are a major part of their diet along water margins.
Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur.
Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.
Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding.
This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.
Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species.
Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment.
Threatened status denotes a species likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future without effective conservation interventions.
No aliases listed yet.
Danger
1/5 · Very low
If you see a water vole, watch quietly from a distance and don't try to touch it.
16-22 cm
0.15-0.35 kg
1-2 years
10 km/h
These plant-eaters munch on a variety of fresh greens found near water, loving grasses and sedges.
Wetlands
Foraging
2-8
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