# European Water Vole (*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. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![European Water Vole](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Water.vole.arp.jpg&width=800) Photo: Adrian Pingstone, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Water.vole.arp.jpg) ## Appearance 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. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Rodentia - **Family:** Cricetidae - **Genus:** Arvicola ## Interesting facts - 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! ## Special abilities - **Underwater Escapist:** European Water Vole can dive and swim expertly because of its dense, waterproof fur, helping it escape predators underwater. - **Master Burrower:** European Water Vole can dig intricate tunnel systems because of its strong claws and robust build, providing safe homes. - **Stealthy Sniffer:** European Water Vole has an excellent sense of smell that helps them find hidden food and detect danger even in dense vegetation. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 16-22 cm - **Weight:** 0.15-0.35 kg - **Lifespan:** 1-2 years - **Speed:** 10 km/h - **Litter Size:** 2-8 - **Gestation:** 20-22 days ## Diet & Feeding These plant-eaters munch on a variety of fresh greens found near water, loving grasses and sedges. - **Primary Foods:** Grasses, Sedges, Reeds, Roots, Tubers, Water plants - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Eurasian Otter](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eurasian-otter) (*Lutra lutra*) — Otters hunt water voles, especially when other prey is scarce. - **Eaten by:** [Barn Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/barn-owl) (*Tyto alba*) — Owls often prey on water voles active near water at dusk. - **Eaten by:** European Polecat (*Mustela putorius*) — Polecats are agile hunters of voles in riparian habitats. - **Eats:** [Common Reed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-reed) (*Phragmites australis*) — Consumes various parts of reeds, a common food source. - **Eats:** Slender Sedge (*Carex acuta*) — Sedges are a major part of their diet along water margins. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Burrowing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/burrowing): Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): 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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Threatened](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/threatened): Threatened status denotes a species likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future without effective conservation interventions. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low If you see a water vole, watch quietly from a distance and don't try to touch it. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify European Water Vole? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is European Water Vole? 16-22 cm ### How much does European Water Vole weigh? 0.15-0.35 kg ### How long does European Water Vole live? 1-2 years ### How fast can European Water Vole move? 10 km/h ### What does European Water Vole eat? These plant-eaters munch on a variety of fresh greens found near water, loving grasses and sedges. ### Where is European Water Vole usually found? Wetlands ### How does European Water Vole hunt? Foraging ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [European Water Vole: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-water-vole)