Water Voles
As the manager of the Boxmoor Trout Fishery I believe that organisations like ours, as well as the individuals that enjoy such outdoor sports, have a responsibility to protect the health and diversity of our wildlife in general.
So, in 2020 when I was given the opportunity to help reintroduce water voles to the area I jumped at the chance. Consequently on Tuesday the 9th June we welcomed a number of guests from Devon, specifically from the Derek Gow Consultancy Ltd.
In conjunction with the Boxmoor Trust we introduced 45 water voles to the Fishery. 17 of these were hard released into our stretch of the River Bulbourne.
Video of a couple of them being released. https://youtube.com/shorts/QGlY5Nh9zbI
The remainder were put into six pens and positioned around the lake to acclimatise. Two local residents volunteered to feed them a diet of apples and carrots, until the Friday.
On the Friday I changed one of the ends of the pens to one with two holes in it. The holes were just large enough for the voles to leave and return. At this stage they continued to be fed in the pens.
The following Monday the pens were taken away and they were on their own. Although we continued to leave apples and carrots out for them, for a couple of weeks.
The water vole is Britain’s fastest declining wild mammal and has disappeared from many parts of the country where it was once common. It is threatened by habitat loss, but has suffered particularly from predation by the introduced American mink. The Wildlife Trusts are working hard to save the water vole by improving riverbank habitats and being involved in reintroduction schemes.
Length: 20cm plus a tail of 11cm.
Weight: 80 – 180 grammes.
Life span: 1.5 years.
They are protected in the U.K. under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and are classified as a priority species in the U.K. Biodiversity Action Plan.
Although they do nothing to improve the fishing at Boxmoor, I welcome them and hope that, at least some, will feel equally at home here.
Regan Skinner – Fishery Manager
