Holy voley!

This issue, Graham Holliday considers the rare Orkney Vole

One of Scotland's smallest, and more unique species is the Orkney Vole.

It's a subspecies of the common vole, which is found in Europe but not in Britain.

The Orkney vole, as the name suggests, is only found in the lowlying, green sweep of the Orkney Islands off the north coast of Scotland.

It's slightly larger than the common vole and is difficult to distinguish from the field vole, but it has shorter and paler hair and it's the only vole species on Orkney. In common with all vole species it has a stocky body and a short, round snout.

Neolithic settlers are believed to have brought the vole to Orkney 5,000 years ago.

Since then, so the theory goes, it has evolved into its own unique race.

Its diet is of plants and seeds in the wild grasslands and wetlands of the Orkney Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Rousay.

It was also introduced to Eday in the late 1980s and a related subspecies lives on Westray and Sanday.

It is most active during the day, although it can be rather shy and difficult to spot. It's far easier to see the tell tale ‘runs' in amongst the grass. These are circular tunnels, just three or four centimetres wide.

Vole numbers increase when the young start to arrive in May. Voles can produce more than one litter in a year and a single litter usually consists of between three to six young.

The early years are particularly dangerous, there are kestrels, hen harriers and short eared owls who prey on voles.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds site a...

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• By : Graham Holiday
• In : Wildlife
• Issue : 28
• Page : 22
• Words : 749