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- - We protect wildlife in Britain and around the world by bringing our most threatened species back from the brink of extinction. We do this through ground-breaking research, practical conservation and education, all with the help of our supporters.
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- - Everything we do is based on scientific evidence. We gather this through surveys, which you can take part in, and by awarding research grants to the most inspiring scientists worldwide. This evidence guides our conservation efforts and is shared through our events and publications.
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- - People’s Trust for Endangered Species was set up in 1977 to save our wildlife. We are governed by a board of volunteer trustees and our team of staff are passionate about protecting endangered species and places.
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- - We strive to bring our most threatened species in the UK and around the world back from the brink of extinction. Our successes come from ground-breaking research, practical conservation and education, all with the help of our supporters.
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Wildlife
- Close
- - We protect wildlife in Britain and around the world by bringing our most threatened species back from the brink of extinction. We do this through ground-breaking research, practical conservation and education, all with the help of our supporters.
Wild places
- Close
- - Some habitats contain such a richness of life that we need to protect them at all odds. We are working to preserve ancient woodlands, orchards and wood pastures and parklands, as well as the countless species they support.
What we do
- Close
- - Everything we do is based on scientific evidence. We gather this through surveys, which you can take part in, and by awarding research grants to the most inspiring scientists worldwide. This evidence guides our conservation efforts and is shared through our events and publications.
Who we are
- Close
- - People’s Trust for Endangered Species was set up in 1977 to save our wildlife. We are governed by a board of volunteer trustees and our team of staff are passionate about protecting endangered species and places.
Success stories
- Close
- - We strive to bring our most threatened species in the UK and around the world back from the brink of extinction. Our successes come from ground-breaking research, practical conservation and education, all with the help of our supporters.
Get involved
- Close
- - There are so many ways you can help save endangered species. Fancy taking part in a survey, joining us on a wildlife event or becoming a regular supporter?
Shop
- Close
- - Support our work in our shop with a range of charity gifts, home-ware, cards and more. 100% of the profits go directly to help wildlife both in the UK an overseas.
Donate
- Close
- - There is nothing natural about the alarming rate at which we are losing animals and their homes. It is absolutely avoidable. We can stop the loss of our wildlife – but we need your support. You can act now by choosing to give to our cause. Thank you.

Glasgow’s grassland water voles

Water voles – as their name suggests – are usually found in streams or ditches and are well-known for their aquatic lifestyle. However, our Glaswegian voles are bucking the trend. These grassland water voles are nationally important. Not only do they live in relatively high numbers compared with their aquatic cousins, but they also live a ‘fossorial’ existence, burrowing like moles, rather than swimming as we expect them to.

We have been supporting a team in Scotland to investigate the ecology and behaviour of these grassland water voles, understand what risks they face from living in the city and develop plans to protect these urban water voles.

The Water Voles in the City project team has been investigating how the grassland water voles of Glasgow make a living. With funding from People’s Trust for Endangered Species, the team radio-tracked ten water voles in the Greater Easterhouse area of Glasgow in autumn 2018. The area they typically forage, sleep and live in – their home range – was found to be smaller than those of voles in previous grassland studies. But the home range size between individuals differed largely from under 200m² to almost 900m². It’s important to know how much land each animal tends to need because as building work takes place across the city, new habitat may need to be created and it’s critical to know how much area voles need to live in.

The activity patterns of voles varied too with some individuals travelling as much as 30m per hour. This information will help the team work out where the voles are most at risk from being predated by American mink and where to focus efforts to protect them.

Of considerable concern was their finding that 4 % of water vole records were within 500 m of a watercourse and almost 2 % within 50m of stream or loch. One key wetland site is therefore now a priority for mink monitoring due to its high connectivity with grassland water vole populations.

The team has also developed Interim Guidelines for the Conservation Management of Urban Grassland Water Voles. The guidelines provide current best practice on the conservation management of grassland water voles and are freely available online. We hope these guidelines will be widely used by developers and ecological consultants to help minimise risk to animals from new house building and other developments in the area. Water Voles in the City is a partnership between the University of Glasgow, Glasgow City Council, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Seven Lochs Partnership https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/watervoles.

Thank you for helping us fund this vital work to save water voles

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