In 1980, habitat degradation and the animal's small population led to its listing as an endangered species by the state of California. Four years later, the federal government also declared the Amargosa vole an endangered species.

What is the difference between a bank vole and a field vole?

Bank voles are small chestnut-brown rodents with a cream-coloured underbelly and a short hairy tail. ... Field voles have a shorter tail (around 30% the length of its body, compared to 50% for the bank vole). Also, don't confuse with mice, which are not as stoutly built as voles and have very long, hairless tails.

Are bank voles protected?

Status & conservation

Native to Great Britain; populations in Ireland were accidentally introduced in the 1950s. Common and widespread. Bank voles are not legally protected in the UK and have no conservation designation.

Are voles endangered in the UK?

Conservation status

Protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981. Priority Species under the UK Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework. Water voles are listed as endangered on both the Great Britain and the England Red List for Mammals.

Are field voles protected UK?

It is important to note that water voles and their habitats are protected in the UK – it is illegal to capture, harm or kill them.

A few facts about voles you might not know

15 related questions found

How do I get rid of voles in my garden UK?

Cut back brush, mow, weed, and create a clean space. Remove woodpiles and hiding places for voles from near your garden, shrubs, and trees. Keep your lawn mowed and bushes trimmed up from the ground. Avoid putting dense mulch too close to trees and shrubs.

How many voles live in a hole?

There may be two adults, several juveniles, and a nest with up to 5 babies in a family colony. Adults are thought to defend their home habitat or territory from invasion by other voles.

What is the life expectancy of a vole?

The average life of the smaller vole species is three to six months. These voles rarely live longer than 12 months. Larger species, such as the European water vole, live longer and usually die during their second, or rarely their third, winter.

What is the difference between a mole and a vole?

A mole has a pointed snout, enlarged front feet, and eyes and ears so tiny that they are not visible. A vole, also called a meadow mouse, has rounded ears and body and is reddish or brown and black in color with a gray underside.

Are voles bigger than mice?

Since voles and mice are both around five to eight inches long and have gray or brown fur, it may take a closer look to tell them apart. Voles are stockier than mice with shorter tails, larger eyes, and smaller, less prominent ears.

Will voles come into the house?

Voles generally like to stay outside. ... Voles prefer eating plant materials and generally don't do well indoors. As such, they rarely enter the house. When they do enter your house, you have several options for getting rid of them.

What is a natural way to get rid of voles?

To deter voles naturally, mix chopped hot peppers with water and biodegradable dish soap. Spray vole hotspots in your lawn and landscaping with the mixture to prevent voles from nibbling on your plants.

Are field voles rare?

Cute and in huge numbers, but rarely seen. The grass-tunnelling field vole is our most abundant mammal and represents a vital link in the food chain.

What is the smallest vole?

The chestnut-brown bank vole is our smallest vole and can be found in hedgerows, woodlands, parks and gardens. It is ideal prey for owls, weasels and kestrels.

What is the difference between a shrew and a vole?

Shrews do not create surface tunnels but may feed in runways or tunnels of other small mammals. Voles are rodents and are about the same size as moles (4 to 6 inches in body length) with relatively large black eyes, small ears, a blunt face, and prominent orange front teeth for gnawing.

Do coffee grounds repel voles?

Although it is a debated subject, coffee grounds do appear to repel voles in the lawn. Sprinkle some around vole holes in the yard, and watch for any results.

Are voles beneficial?

However, they also play beneficial roles, including dispersing nutrients throughout the upper soil layers. Voles also provide food for many predators, including raccoons, owls, hawks, falcons, coyotes, foxes, snakes, weasels and even cats and dogs.

Do voles breed in the winter?

Females mate as early as one month old, and some voles give birth to more than 17 litters in one year. With an average litter size of four to six pups, every four weeks between March and December, voles fuel the New England food web. During winter, however, reproduction becomes secondary to surviving life in the cold.

Do voles come back every year?

Active year round, voles multiply rapidly, producing up to 100 offspring annually. With adequate shelter and a plentiful food supply, a colony will thrive. So your first move is to eliminate environments that make voles feel at home: excess brush and mulch, leaf piles, wood stacks, and tall grasses.

How far do voles tunnel?

Some voles burrow and create many shallow tunnels, while other types dig down to a depth of 12 inches. The tunnels give soil a spongy feel when you walk on it.

What time of year are voles most active?

Voles may be active day or night, but most activity occurs at dawn and dusk. Their activity is comprised of short, quick visits from the burrow through their runways and back.

How do I vole proof my garden?

Voles like living in mulch, leaf and grass piles, and tall ground covers. Lawns should be mowed regularly. To keep voles out of the garden, do not mulch close to trees, keep mulch around shrubs to a minimum, and pick up unturned piles of leaves and lawn clippings from around the yard.

What is the best vole killer?

Top 5 Best Vole Poison

• JT Eaton 709PN Bait Block Rodenticide (our top pick)
• VoleX Vole Killer Pellets (a close second)
• Tomcat All-Weather Bait Chunx.
• Ramik Green.
• JT Eaton 750 Top Gun Rodenticide.

What does vole lawn damage look like?

If it's voles, you'll see patches of gnaw marks with irregular patterns about 1/16th to 1/8th inches wide. Gnawed stems may have a pointed tip, and the roots or tubers may also show the same wear. But voles don't need snow for cover, explains the University of Maryland Extension.