AboutJonathan Wright Expertise I can answer questions about wild mammals, as well as other wild animals. I can also answer questions on extinct animals and zoos.
PLEASE DON'T SEND ME ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT PETS. IF YOU ARE REALLY WORRIED, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A VETERINARIAN. PLEASE DO NOT ASSUME THAT UNPAID PEOPLE ON ALLEXPERTS ARE AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY AND WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH ADVICE THE MOMENT YOUR ANIMAL GETS ILL. Find out how to look after a pet before you get it. It is unfair to keep an animal in inappropriate conditions and give it the wrong food. If you can't keep an animal in good conditions, please don't bring it into your home. I'm not a vet and I don't have any expertise in animal medicine and care. I don't agree with people taking animals out of the wild and then expecting other people to give free advice on how to look after them. It is cruel to take animals away from their parents, who are able to look after the babies and may look for them, while putting their other babies at risk. You may need a licence to look after some animals. You may be breaking the law by keeping wild animals; please check with a local wildlife organisation.
IF YOU FIND AN INJURED ANIMAL, PLEASE CONTACT A WILDLIFE VETERINARIAN OR CHARITY AND LET TRAINED STAFF LOOK AFTER THE ANIMAL. DO NOT TRY TO LOOK AFTER AN INJURED ANIMAL IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
Please do not remove eggs from nests. The mother birds will know the right temperature for the eggs and will not sit on them if the temperature is warm enough for them to develop naturally. It is illegal to remove eggs of some species and, unless you have an incubator or a broody hen, the egg may not develop. If you are allowed to touch the eggs, you can candle them (check details on websites) to see if the eggs are fertile. If the eggs are not fertile, they will not hatch.
I do not agree with fights between different animals. Please do not ask me questions about them.
Experience I have a zoology degree and have been interested in animals since I was two years old. I am a zoo volunteer at London Zoo. I have appeared on a BBC Radio Quiz, 'Wildbrain'.
Organizations World Wide Fund for Nature. Zoological Society of London. London Bat Group.
Publications Newsletters of London Zoo volunteers and the London Bat Group
Education/Credentials BSC degree in Zoology. 'A' levels in Zoology and Chemistry. 'O' Level in Biology.
Question Hi Jonathan,
I was wondering if you know where the largest population of water voles are living in the UK?
I know that they are extinct in several places they were once flourishing.
Thank you,
Karen
Answer Dear Karen
Thanks for your question
I have searched in various books and websites and cannot find a definitive answer to your question. Basically the water vole has a very wide distribution, but does not tend to have large populations. I looked at a map of water vole distribution and the water vole does seem to be more concentrated in an area from the South coast (around Hampshire) and roughly north along the central areas of England to Scotland. It tends to be more patchy in the southwest and northwest of England and in much of Scotland, especially north Scotland.
Despite this 40% of the British population lives in Scotland, so this may be a good area to look for water voles. There are populations on Eilean Gamnha and Eilean Creagach, which are two small islets near the entrance of Loch Melfor in Argyll.
There are also populations in Anglesey, the Isle of Wight, Reads Island (in the Hyumber Estuary), Rye Meads (in the Lea Valley Park, near Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire), Romney Marsh, the Somerset Levels and Caisher in Lincolnshire. If you look up 'Arvicola' and 'Britain' in Google, you can find various sites where work is being done to conserve water voles. One of the main problems is due to introduced mink, so I would recommend you look for voles on islands, where the mink is less likely to have been introduced.
The most positive website I checked was: www.sthelenswildlife.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/mammals.htm
This listed details of mammals recorded in St Helens. They said that water voles 'are quite common in St Helens, which is considered a stronghold for the species'.
Please be aware that conservationists are very wary about giving details of their wildlife, as this information attracts people and puts the wildlife at risk.
Apart from St Helens, I didn't find any positive sites, but I would advise you to visit any low-lying and level wetland areas, which are devoid of mink and, perhaps, are based on islands. You could always visit St helens as well.
