Water voles
Water voles have experienced one of the most rapid and serious declines of any British wild mammal ever. We are dedicated to saving this national treasure, and you can help too.
By the end of the 1990s we had lost more than 90% of our nation’s water voles. This was due to habitat loss and fragmentation during the 20th century and more recent pressures from non-native American mink.
A recent report shows that water vole distribution has declined by 39% across Britain between 2006-2022, and by 31% in England alone. Encouragingly, monitoring surveys have found several new strongholds where water voles are doing well, showing that populations can recover where the right conditions are in place. Learn more about water voles, our current conservation work to save them and how you can become a vole-unteer with us by exploring the links below!
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About water voles
View water vole factsFind out more about the life of a water vole. Where do they live? What do they eat? Why are they endangered?
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National Water Vole Monitoring Programme (NWVMP)
Read more and sign upWe’ve been monitoring water voles across the UK since 2015. If you’re interested in helping water voles, find out more and register to take part.
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How we’re helping water voles
Our water vole workDiscover how we’ve been helping water voles over the last twenty years and which projects we’re currently working on.
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Water vole recovery project
Take partHelp the London Water Vole Recovery Project to better understand the current distribution of water vole and American mink across the capital to aid in water vole conservation.
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Advice for landowners
Help water voles on your landInterested in helping water voles on your land? Download our free guide and find out which agri-environment schemes are water vole friendly.
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Seen a water vole?
How to report a water vole sightingIt’s important to report any sightings of water voles, so we know where they remain and their presence can be recorded locally. Find out who you should record your sighting with.
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