# Southern Red-backed Vole (*Clethrionomys gapperi*) The Southern Red-backed Vole is a small, furry animal with a reddish-brown back and a soft, gray belly. They love to scurry around in the grass and are often found in forests and wetlands. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Forests and wetlands ![Southern Red-backed Vole](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/SouthernRedbackedVole23.jpg&width=800) Photo: Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SouthernRedbackedVole23.jpg) ## Appearance The Southern Red-backed Vole has a distinctive rusty-red stripe running down its back, contrasting with greyish-brown sides and a pale, whitish belly. It is a small rodent, with a short, bi-colored tail that is darker on top and lighter underneath, making it look stockier than a mouse. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Rodentia - **Family:** Cricetidae - **Genus:** Myodes ## Interesting facts - Southern Red-backed Voles sometimes drum their hind feet rapidly to communicate with other voles! - Their front teeth grow continuously throughout their entire lives, so they must gnaw constantly. - They are super important for spreading tree seeds and fungi spores in their forest homes! - Voles create complex tunnel systems under leaf litter, which helps them hide from hungry predators. ## Special abilities - **Fungi Finder:** Southern Red-backed Voles can sniff out underground fungi like truffles, helping them find hidden food sources year-round. - **Snow Tunneler:** Southern Red-backed Voles have thick fur and a compact body that helps them tunnel under snow, staying active in winter. - **Seed Stasher:** Southern Red-backed Voles have expandable cheek pouches that help them carry and store seeds for future meals. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 10-18 cm - **Weight:** 0.02-0.04 kg - **Lifespan:** 1-2 years - **Speed:** 8 km/h - **Litter Size:** 2-8 - **Gestation:** 17-19 days ## Diet & Feeding These tiny omnivores munch on many things, from seeds and berries to insects and even mushrooms! - **Primary Foods:** Seeds, Berries, Fungi, Insects, Roots, Lichens - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Great Horned Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-horned-owl) (*Bubo virginianus*) — hunts voles from above. - **Eaten by:** [Red Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-fox) (*Vulpes vulpes*) — preys on voles in forests. - **Eaten by:** Short-tailed Weasel (*Mustela erminea*) — small enough to chase voles. - **Depends on:** [White Spruce](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-spruce) (*Picea glauca*) — voles eat its seeds. ## 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. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [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. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low If you see a vole, watch quietly from a distance and don't try to touch it. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Southern Red-backed 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 Southern Red-backed Vole? 10-18 cm ### How much does Southern Red-backed Vole weigh? 0.02-0.04 kg ### How long does Southern Red-backed Vole live? 1-2 years ### How fast can Southern Red-backed Vole move? 8 km/h ### What does Southern Red-backed Vole eat? These tiny omnivores munch on many things, from seeds and berries to insects and even mushrooms! ### Where is Southern Red-backed Vole usually found? Forests and wetlands ### How does Southern Red-backed 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: [Southern Red-backed Vole: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/southern-red-backed-vole)