The number of areas where water voles are found across England and Wales has fallen by almost a third in 10 years, research has found.
The species, which provided the model for the much-loved character Ratty in The Wind of the Willows, has suffered catastrophic declines over several decades and is the UK’s fastest declining mammal.
Habitat loss, water pollution and the introduction of American mink – originally farmed for their fur, but which escaped into the wild and proved a voracious predator – have all contributed to the slump in the number of voles.
Analysis led by the Wildlife Trusts found a decline of 30% in the areas where they live between 2006 and 2015. A slight increase in their distribution was recorded in the last few years, thanks to conservation efforts by wildlife groups – the biggest reintroduction of water voles in the UK began last year – but the situation remains bleak.
Ellie Brodie, the senior policy officer for the Wildlife Trusts, said: “Water voles are an essential part of our wild and watery places and it’s terribly sad that we’re continuing to witness huge declines of this much-loved mammal.
“The Wildlife Trusts and others are working hard to help bring them back again and care for the places they need to survive – but much more is needed if we’re going to stop this charismatic creature disappearing altogether.”
Water voles have disappeared from 94% of places where they were once found, previous research found. They are important because their burrowing and feeding behaviour along the edges of watercourses creates the conditions for other animals and plants to thrive.
The Wildlife Trusts want the government’s planned nature recovery network to be underpinned by a new Environment Act and expanded funding for water vole conservation efforts.
They also want landowners to manage river banks sympathetically to help water voles and for people to volunteer to help survey water voles or manage riverside habitat.
A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokeswoman said the government was concerned about the decline of water voles. “Through our 25-year environment plan we will provide opportunities for species recovery as we develop our nature recovery network, creating or restoring 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat to provide benefits for species such as the water vole.”
Last year, Northumberland Wildlife Trust alone released 570 water voles across Kielder Water and Forest Park, in the first step of the major reintroduction programme.
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