Water voles are the largest British vole and are often mistaken for a rat. Ratty from "The Wind in the Willows" was actually a water vole. The water vole is found throughout Britain but is confined mainly to lowland areas near water. Once common and widespread, this species has suffered a significant decline in numbers and distribution.

Derbyshire Wildlife Trust's Water Vole project started in 1997, when a survey revealed that populations had declined in Derbyshire byalmost 50%. The project involves working with the owners of local sites that have retained their Water Vole populations despite increasing Mink poulations and includes close monitoring of the local Water Vole communities.

To find out more about Derbyshire's Water Vole Project vist the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust website at:

DWT Water Vole Recovery Project

Enjoy the Water Vole photographs and video clips on this page and contact us if you want any more information, have any comments, or would like to purchase an image or clip.

"The Carsington Water Voles"

Video 1 (3.6Mb)	Video 2 (6.4Mb)		Video 3 (11.6Mb)
Video 4 (8.5Mb)	Video 5 (9.0Mb)		Video 6 (4.6Mb)