|
|
Member SearchCalendar of Events
|
|
|
Voles happy in Slough
|
After a century of decline water voles are about to make a comeback in Slough.
Thames Water is investing £15,000 in a scheme at the Slough Sewage Treatment Works to develop a kilometre ditch to make it more hospitable for the animals.
Thames Water's biodiversity advisor, Nick Clarke, said: "We are delighted to see the water voles making a new home for themselves at the Roundmoor ditch. Our digging and planting efforts earlier in the year have certainly paid off!
"The burrows are very small, only three-fingers wide, but together with the evidence of the droppings and the particular angle at which some of the grasses we have planted have been nibbled, there can be no doubt that water voles are moving in."
The water vole has suffered drastically over the last hundred years as its natural wetland habitat has faced destruction and the introduction of the predatory mink has put it at risk and made it Britain's fastest declining mammal.
Mr Clarke added: "We will be monitoring their progress closely over the coming months and keeping an eye out for American mink which feed on water voles."
© Adfero 2005
|
|
