150
‘Ratty’ river creatures to be released in Somerset estate where they had become
extinct
Tue 11
Sep 2018 00.01 BST
One of
the most beloved and endangered riverine creatures is returning to a west
country national park where it has been extinct for more than three decades.
Over the
next few days 150 water voles will be released at six locations in the Aller
river on the Holnicote
Estate on Exmoor in Somerset.
Once
regularly spotted on Britain’s riverbanks, they are now the nation’s
fastest declining land mammal, disappearing from 94% of their
former sites due to factors including increased urbanisation, predators and a
decline in natural habitat.
The new
arrivals at Holnicote will be closely watched to see how they are settling in.
Rangers, volunteers, students and members of the public will monitor their
numbers.
They will
use simple field signs to record their presence and behaviour, from actual
sightings and “plopping” sounds as they dive into water to the tell-tale signal
of grass blades nibbled off at distinctive 45 degree angles.
Continued
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