Water voles and Weasels

[Billy Wobble Dagger]

I was down by the river at 7:45 yesterday morning, and having just reached the river bank was excited at the rustle on the far bank. Thinking how lucky I was going to be in seeing a water vole so soon after arriving I was a little surprised to see a weasel come jumping out of the undergrowth. He bounded happily along before going for a swim and then jumping out and once again disappearing into the undergrowth. After two hours I saw no water voles or any more weasels. It's the first time I've seen one, and although I've been surveying the river for three years have never seen signs of them.
My question is, how much damage will they do the water vole colony?

BWD

[dragonfly]

hya as ameat eater they will only kill and eat what they need they will make no difference to the water vole colony as they breed almost all year round 5 6 in the avarage litter ready to breed in six weeks like most members of the rat family

[Dogghound]

They will occasionally kill water voles. But most of their diet consists of more easy to manage pray such as mice and other vole species, this makes up between 60-80% of an average weasels diet. The number of prey killed by weasels is considered to be a small portion of the overall prey population, they also eat rabbits, birds and eggs. Diet does vary depending on food availability and habitat.

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by dragonfly

they will make no difference to the water vole colony as they breed almost all year round 5 6 in the avarage litter ready to breed in six weeks like most members of the rat family

Water voles dont breed all year, they have around 2-5 litters from around March to around September. Although this varies with temperature and region. Also im unsure there sexualy mature after just six weeks, im pretty certain after there first winter they are sexually active, possibly with the exeption of members of the first litter which may breed late summer.

[vole-woman]

The problem is, so many native things eat w-vs - herons, birds of prey, pike, mustelids, rats, cats. But if they're native predators, it usually all balances out. It's the non-native, ie your mink, that causes the real damage.

[Billy Wobble Dagger]

Thanks evryone for your replys. I felt a bit of a fool asking the question as I knew what the answer would be. I just wanted to know if they kill for killing sake. As vole woman said every thing seems partial to a bit of water vole.
However it was a first for me and as it was so unexpected I'm quite thrilled at seeing it, even if it will kill the odd water vole. But that is nature and we must accept that, its the mink that I can't stand.

BWD

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by Billy Wobble Dagger

I just wanted to know if they kill for killing sake.
BWD

Most if not all animals dont kill for the sake of it, it just sometimes occurs in unnatural circumstances, for example "surplus killing" by foxes in a chicken pen, this is unlikely to ever occur in a natural situation. It takes time and effort to kill prey so it would be a waste of both to just leave it. Mink dont do this, they are a problem as their natural food is mainly muskrats in america which are similar to water voles due to this they have evolved to be very aquatic sharing similar habitats to the water vole. The weasel is more terrestrial however it must feed once every 24 hours or it will die, so they often travel into new habitats in search of prey.

[vole-woman]

You should never feel bad for asking a sensible question, Billy. That's what this forum is for. I myself know bog-all about pretty much everything.

[shirl]

Originally Posted by vole-woman

The problem is, so many native things eat w-vs - herons, birds of prey, pike, mustelids, rats, cats. But if they're native predators, it usually all balances out. It's the non-native, ie your mink, that causes the real damage.

I completely agree, predator and prey are natural, mink were introduced and can cause devastation to a water vole population.Mink can follow the water vole into it's burrow both above and below water which makes them very dangerous especially when the young mink "emerge" about August. I was watching a water vole burrow last year and saw a stoat running along the grass closeby, makes you cringe a bit, but it's nature.

Shirl

[Billy Wobble Dagger]

Originally Posted by shirl

I was watching a water vole burrow last year and saw a stoat running along the grass closeby, makes you cringe a bit, but it's nature.Shirl

Thats what I find so wonderful about nature and being out and about, you never know what you might see.

Thanks again to all that replied

BWD