The European water vole is a semi-aquatic rodent in the family Cricetidae, often informally called the water rat even though it only superficially resembles a true rat. It has a rounder nose, deep brown fur, a chubby face and short fuzzy ears, and unlike a rat its tail, paws and ears are covered in hair; its uniform dark brown coloring, slightly paler underneath, helps camouflage it in vegetated wetland habitat. Adults measure 14 to 22 centimeters long with a tail roughly half that length, and weigh between 60 and 386 grams depending on age and condition. It is found across most of Europe, Russia, West Asia and Kazakhstan, is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, and in the wild typically survives about five months, though captive individuals can live up to two and a half years. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Facts
Classification
System (Realm) Relationship to PeopleAgricultural or Structural Pest 3 Living or Extinct Scientific Name Conservation Status Comparison
CITES Appendix Connections
Child Taxon Of
Source European water vole (Wikidata)
In Biome
River, Biomes Source Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Animal Diversity Web: Arvicola amphibius
In Ecosystem
Source European water vole (Wikipedia)
In the Other Atlases
Found In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Sources
1. EltonTraits 1.0 (Wilman et al. 2014)
2. European water vole (Wikipedia)
Infobox: status
LC
System/realm (stated plainly in the entity own recorded description)
It has a rounder nose, deep brown fur, a chubby face and short fuzzy ears, and unlike a rat its tail, paws and ears are covered in hair; its uniform dark brown coloring, slightly paler underneath, helps camouflage it in vegetated wetland habitat.
In Ecosystem: Moorland, Habitat
As well as frequenting typical lowland wetland habitats dominated by rank marginal aquatic vegetation, water voles are also just as at home in areas of upland 'peatland' vegetation where they utilize suitable small ditches, rivers, and lochs surrounded by moorland up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft) asl (e.g., northern Scotland).
View the Source3. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Animal Diversity Web: Arvicola amphibius
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of ZoologyEconomic Importance for Humans: Negative Impacts
Negative Impacts crop pest
Conservation Status: CITES
CITES No special status
In Biome: River, Habitat Regions, biome: rivers and streams
rivers and streams
View the Source 4. European water vole (Wikidata)
Wikidata- Wikidata Q27016 (P225 taxon name)
Statements section, conservation status (P141)
IUCN Red List conservation status (Wikidata property P141): least concern.
- Child Taxon Of: Cricetidae, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chain
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