Water Vole Decline
Solutions regarding the decline of the water vole (Arvicola terrestris)1 population in the UK
The Problem
The water vole (Arvicola terrestris)1 started to decline in Britain in the 1990s and by 2005, 90% had disappeared from previously occupied sites.2 This makes it the, ‘UK’s fastest declining mammal.’2
Two national surveys carried out by the Vincent Wildlife Trust in 1989-90 and 1996-98 showed that the decline of the water vole is now a serious population crash with a further loss of 60% of the occupied sites between 1990 and 1998. Some areas have been affected even worse, with the water vole population in Yorkshire crashing 97% from previously occupied sites between 1990 and 1998.3
It has been estimated that in the late …show more content…
The effectiveness of the raft along the River Dore is clearly illustrated in Fig.3. In just 8 weeks, detection of mink at nearly every raft along the river was reduced to just two rafts showing signs of there being mink present in that area. However, the effectiveness of the rafts along the River Dore can be validated with the use of Fig.2. As I have just stated, from April to June of 2006, the rafts were very efficient in lowering the population of mink in that area. Also, when the disperse of mink from other areas to the River Dore came about in late August and the numbers of mink detected by the rafts increased again, the GWCT rafts proved their effectiveness by quickly detecting and capturing twelve mink in a period of less than two months.
The Mink Control Programme set up in the Cotswold Water Park was very successful and 165 mink were caught. Fig.4 shows that by 2009 a small percentage of mink were being detected and caught compared to the numbers in 2005. This reflects the effectiveness of small-scale intensive trapping schemes such as the one employed in the CWP. Another factor that shows how effective the mink rafts were in the CWP was the stability or even increase in numbers of water voles along watercourses in the park between the two years shown in …show more content…
This is because it has been involved in a great number of projects, surveys, data collection and other scientific research for over 75 years. The Trust also provide training and advice for farmers, gamekeepers and land managers on how to best improve biodiversity. This shows that they are very established and the information given will be valid and reliable. However, they are a charity, and one of their aims is to draw in donations from people visiting their site so an element of pursuation may be found which could just alter how the information is put across to the viewer.
Nervertheless, further validity can be confirmed by comparing information from another source. The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust states that, “In 1998 there were estimated to be only 875,000 individuals” (water voles) and http://www.ptes.org/files/1232_water_voles_in_sussex-_final_report.pdf confirms this saying, “Water vole numbers dropped from an estimated 7.3 million in 1990 to 875,000 in 1998.” This proves that the source is both valid and
The Problem
The water vole (Arvicola terrestris)1 started to decline in Britain in the 1990s and by 2005, 90% had disappeared from previously occupied sites.2 This makes it the, ‘UK’s fastest declining mammal.’2
Two national surveys carried out by the Vincent Wildlife Trust in 1989-90 and 1996-98 showed that the decline of the water vole is now a serious population crash with a further loss of 60% of the occupied sites between 1990 and 1998. Some areas have been affected even worse, with the water vole population in Yorkshire crashing 97% from previously occupied sites between 1990 and 1998.3
It has been estimated that in the late …show more content…
The effectiveness of the raft along the River Dore is clearly illustrated in Fig.3. In just 8 weeks, detection of mink at nearly every raft along the river was reduced to just two rafts showing signs of there being mink present in that area. However, the effectiveness of the rafts along the River Dore can be validated with the use of Fig.2. As I have just stated, from April to June of 2006, the rafts were very efficient in lowering the population of mink in that area. Also, when the disperse of mink from other areas to the River Dore came about in late August and the numbers of mink detected by the rafts increased again, the GWCT rafts proved their effectiveness by quickly detecting and capturing twelve mink in a period of less than two months.
The Mink Control Programme set up in the Cotswold Water Park was very successful and 165 mink were caught. Fig.4 shows that by 2009 a small percentage of mink were being detected and caught compared to the numbers in 2005. This reflects the effectiveness of small-scale intensive trapping schemes such as the one employed in the CWP. Another factor that shows how effective the mink rafts were in the CWP was the stability or even increase in numbers of water voles along watercourses in the park between the two years shown in …show more content…
This is because it has been involved in a great number of projects, surveys, data collection and other scientific research for over 75 years. The Trust also provide training and advice for farmers, gamekeepers and land managers on how to best improve biodiversity. This shows that they are very established and the information given will be valid and reliable. However, they are a charity, and one of their aims is to draw in donations from people visiting their site so an element of pursuation may be found which could just alter how the information is put across to the viewer.
Nervertheless, further validity can be confirmed by comparing information from another source. The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust states that, “In 1998 there were estimated to be only 875,000 individuals” (water voles) and http://www.ptes.org/files/1232_water_voles_in_sussex-_final_report.pdf confirms this saying, “Water vole numbers dropped from an estimated 7.3 million in 1990 to 875,000 in 1998.” This proves that the source is both valid and