While often mistaken for rats, water voles have distinct features:
: Typically 14–22 cm long with a tail of 9–14 cm, weighing between 150g and 300g. arvicola
: Primarily herbivores, they eat grasses and aquatic plants, often leaving stems cut at a distinctive 45-degree angle . Conservation Status While often mistaken for rats, water voles have
: They are expert "engineers," digging complex burrow systems into riverbanks. You can often find "lawns" of closely cropped grass around their burrow entrances. While often mistaken for rats
: They have a blunt, rounded muzzle, small ears almost hidden in thick fur, and a furry tail, unlike the scaly tail of a rat.