European water vole

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.