Habitat Selection of Water Voles (Arvicola amphibius) Post Reintroduction

Despite how commonplace reintroductions are as a conservation strategy, they have a surprisingly low success rate. Reintroductions have mostly been undertaken with management goals in mind rather being research orientated. While these reintroductions have good intentions, without a more robust scientific understanding of the processes that underpin the chances of success; projects will continue to experience this high failure rate. Water voles underwent a 97% decline in population in the UK since 1900. However, subsequent realisations of their ecological importance as keystone species and ecosystem engineers has led to many reintroduction programmes across the UK, helping to re-establish a viable UK population. One such reintroduction took place in Cornwall at Trelusback farm. This reintroduction acts as the case study in this report where I aim to look at the localised habitat preferences of water voles after the reintroduction. Helping to inform on the environmental characteristics to select when identifying future reintroduction sites for this species. To ascertain their presence, floating rafts were systematically placed and observed weekly. The abiotic and biotic variables were measured at each sample location. The results only showed that the percentage of herbaceous plants on the bank edge was significantly greater where they were present on site. Controversially from that of other research findings our results also showed that the vegetation height was significantly lower where they were present. When planning for a species reintroduction, it is vital to consider their unique ecology and habitat preferences to have the greatest chance of a successful reintroduction.