Water Vole Surveys
Why might I need this?
Water voles are protected under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) (as amended) against killing and injury as well as damage, or the blocking of access, to their places of protection. If survey or a record search indicates that you may have water voles on land that you wish to develop, the Local Authority may require a water vole survey.
Survey calendar
Water vole surveys are carried out between March and September during the breeding season when the species are most active. May and June are the optimal periods for survey which are weather dependent. Habitat suitability assessments can be undertaken over the winter.
What does it entail?
A water vole survey involves searching the site for evidence which includes: burrows, latrines, footprints, runs in vegetation, grazed ‘lawns’, feeding remains and sightings of live or deceased animals .
Report vaildity
Did you know?
'Ratty' in Kenneth Grahame's 'Wind in the Willows' was a water vole.