Water Voles

Water VolePart of a Preliminary Ecological Appraisal Cambridge Ecology will assess the suitability of your site to support Water Voles. Subsequent detailed surveys may then be required to the inform appropriate levels of mitigation or compensation for a development licence applications. These Water Vole surveys include specialised methods such as:

  • Field Sign Searches
  • Remote-Sensing surveys

Cambridge Ecology has experienced ecologists able to undertake Water Vole surveys,.

See survey timetable for the optimal survey period.

Legislation and protection

The Water Vole is fully protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) in Wales and England, making it illegal to:

It is an offence to:

  • deliberately kill, capture, injure, or take from the wild a Water Vole
  • possess or sell a Water Vole
  • damage/destroy or obstruct their breeding or resting places
  • disturb a Water Vole in its breeding or resting places.

Sentences include six months imprisonment and/or a fine of up to £5000 (per animal).

The Water Vole is a UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UKBAP) priority species and is a Section 41 ‘species of priority importance’ under the terms of the NERC Act 2006.

For more information on how we can help you, please get in touch or call 01954 231239.