# Vole (*Microtus*) Voles are small rodents that live in burrows underground. They have soft fur, short tails, and love to eat plants like grasses and seeds. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Grasslands - **Also known as:** Meadow Vole ![Vole](https://media.snappit.app/site-media-v1/ed1fcf61f5ec7bb74ea567e9d658a988a171e96dcb1e4c12098dc1c5c70e6844/image-560x560/w-560.webp) ## Appearance The Vole is a small, stout rodent with a round body and short limbs. It typically has dull, earthy fur, ranging from brown to grey, and is distinguished by its short, hairy tail and small, partly hidden ears, making it look different from a mouse. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Rodentia - **Family:** Cricetidae - **Genus:** Microtus ## Interesting facts - A female vole can get pregnant again just hours after giving birth to a litter! - Some voles create 'runways' through tall grass, like secret highways for speedy travel! - Voles can smell danger and find hidden food sources even under a thick blanket of snow! - Voles have teeth that never stop growing, which are constantly worn down by their chewing! ## Special abilities - **Underground Networker:** Vole can dig intricate tunnel systems because of strong claws and shovel-like front teeth that help them create shelter and food storage. - **Rapid Reproducer:** Vole has a super-fast reproductive cycle that helps ensure their survival against many predators by producing multiple litters each year. - **Camouflage Cloak:** Vole has dull, earthy fur that helps them blend perfectly into grasslands and woodlands, making it very hard for predators to spot them. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 8-18 cm - **Weight:** 0.02-0.07 kg - **Lifespan:** 1-3 years - **Speed:** 15 km/h - **Litter Size:** 3-8 - **Gestation:** 18-21 days ## Diet & Feeding Voles munch on grasses, seeds, and roots, finding tasty plant meals and sometimes even insects! - **Primary Foods:** grasses, seeds, roots, bark, clover - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [Red Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-fox) (*Vulpes vulpes*) — Voles are a common food source for foxes. - **Eaten by:** [Barn Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/barn-owl) (*Tyto alba*) — Owls are major predators of voles. - **Hunts:** Least Weasel (*Mustela nivalis*) — Weasels actively pursue voles in their burrows. - **Eats:** [Kentucky Bluegrass](https://www.snappit.app/explore/kentucky-bluegrass) (*Poa pratensis*) — Voles consume the leaves and stems of this grass. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [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. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Avoid touching wild voles as they may carry diseases. Enjoy watching them from a safe distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify 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 Vole? 8-18 cm ### How much does Vole weigh? 0.02-0.07 kg ### How long does Vole live? 1-3 years ### How fast can Vole move? 15 km/h ### What does Vole eat? Voles munch on grasses, seeds, and roots, finding tasty plant meals and sometimes even insects! ### Where is Vole usually found? Grasslands ### How does Vole hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Greenwood Furnace State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/greenwood-furnace-state-park) — Pennsylvania, US · State Park - [Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/coquihalla-canyon-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park ## 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: [Vole: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/vole)