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EmailIphone Application    Posted: 18th August 2023
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Water voles make return to Lake District
The water vole is Britain's fastest declining mammal.

365 water voles have been released to new homes in Cumbria.

A re-introduction programme has seen water voles start to return to Cumbria’s riverbanks, following a significant decline in their population.

The river conservation effort, run by the charity Eden Rivers Trust, has seen 204 water voles released at Haweswater reservoir.

This follows the successful rehoming of 161 water voles at Lowther Estate, bringing the total number of released water voles to 365.

This marks the end of the first stage of the re-introduction programme, which aimed to restore the local population back into the eco-system.

Eden Rivers Trust was awarded money by the Environment Agency’s Water Environment Improvement Fund (WEIF), The Moorhouse Fund (Cumbria Community Foundation) and Ernest Cook Trust to re-establish the water vole in Cumbria’s Lake District.

The water vole is Britain’s fastest declining mammal, with the estimated population dropping from eight million to approximately 132,000 in the past century. During this time period, they have disappeared from 94 per cent of sites, including the Lake District.

This has been due to a variety of issues, including habitat loss, pollution and the rapid spread of the non-native American mink.

American minks became established in the UK after being released or escaping from fur farms in the 1960s. Their carnivorous nature has resulted in whole colonies of water voles being decimated.

Before the water voles could be released into their new homes, Eden River Trust, in partnership with The Environment Agency and the Cumbria Connect programme, first had to take steps to tackle the barriers that had initially driven the water vole out.

These efforts have meant that the water voles have settled into their new habitats, which are being managed by the RSPB and United Utilities.

Bill Kenmir, conservation manager at Cumbria Connect, said: “This reintroduction of water voles to Cumbria marks a significant step forward in nature restoration of our landscape.

“Recognised as a keystone species due to their pivotal role, these charming creatures wield significant influence in delicately balanced ecosystems by engineering new habitats and increasing plant diversity along waterways.”

Image (C) Shutterstock

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Reporting service for dead wild birds updated

News Story 1
 The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has updated its online reporting service for dead wild birds.

The new version allows those reporting a dead bird to drop a pin on a map when reporting the location. It also includes a wider range of wild bird species groups to select from when describing the bird.

The online service, which helps APHA to monitor the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, can be accessed here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NI chief vet urges bluetongue vigilance

Northern Ireland's chief veterinary officer (CVO) has urged farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue, after the Animal and Plant Health Agency warned there was a very high probability of further cases in Great Britain.

There have been 126 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 in England since November 2023, with no cases reported in Northern Ireland. The movement of live ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is currently suspended.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the virus is most likely to enter Northern Ireland through infected animals or germplasm (semen or ova) being imported.

Brian Dooher, Northern Ireland's CVO, said: "Surveillance for this disease within Northern Ireland has been increased to assist with detection at the earliest opportunity which will facilitate more effective control measures."

Farmers should report any suspicions of the disease to their private veterinary practitioner, the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or their local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.