50 first dates for Salisbury’s most eligible water voles

Salisbury’s most eligible water voles have been moved to a farm in Ringwood where they will meet 50 potential lifemates with hopes of romance.

A dozen water voles from Salisbury have been living on a farm in Ringwood for the past five months. They swapped city life for the country before construction started on the Salisbury River Park flood defence and regeneration scheme.

Now, everyone hopes they will find true love when they meet 50 new bachelors and bachelorettes that were bred in captivity.

According to the Wessex Environment Agency, the water vole population in Ringwood was severely affected in the past by mink. Now that the mink population is under control, in time it is hoped the water voles will begin to breed once they get past their territorial instincts.

Mike Porter of the Environment Agency said, “One of the Salisbury River Park’s aims, aside from reducing flood risk and regeneration, is to improve the environment for biodiversity.

“So it is very encouraging to see that spill over to this location where the voles are healthy and happy in their new forever home and, in time, will grow in numbers and spread afield.”

Water voles are a legally protected species and also Britain’s fastest declining mammal. A small population was found during survey work for the Salisbury River Park scheme. While the project will deliver long-term benefits through habitat improvement for city wildlife, a small number of water voles were moved prior to construction.

The Wessex Environment Agency says the scheme is providing the ideal habitat for water voles and it is expected that the area will be colonised quite quickly by voles from neighbouring populations.

Cllr Dr Mark McClelland, Cabinet Member for Waste, Street Scene and Flooding at Wiltshire Council, said, “One of our priorities is for Wiltshire’s natural beauty and environment to be protected and maintained whilst improving the natural and built environment and enhancing the city flood defences.

“The unique habitats, landscape and wildlife play a key part in the county’s visitor economy and the wellbeing of our residents. The translocation of the voles was a vital part of the project to help maintain the local vole population in this part of the river. We look forward to seeing them around the site again in the future.”

The Salisbury River Park project is a collaboration between the Environment Agency, Wiltshire Council, Salisbury City Council and Swindon and Wiltshire
Local Enterprise Partnership. However, moving the water voles to another part of the Avon catchment, along with boosting their numbers, needed extra help and advice from Atkins, the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust and Derek Gow Consultancy.

The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust has been working with the private landowner on this site to improve the habitat ready for the voles. These habitat improvements will also benefit a wide range of other water meadow species in the Avon Valley, including threatened wading birds and invertebrates.

Jim Girgis, associate ecologist at Atkins, said, “This translocation would enable the population to thrive in suitable habitat as well as aid in restoring key links
between known populations in the Lower and Upper Avon.

“This is a really important project in terms of supporting the indigenous population of the water voles in this area, which bring great benefits to the local eco-system and it’s also another good example of ensuring the best possible outcome both for the scheme and sustainability of the local environment.”

The Salisbury River Park is a £27 million transformational scheme to reduce flood risk to over 350 homes and businesses in Salisbury. It will also create
2 hectares of enhanced riverside habitat for the benefit of wildlife, remove obstructions to allow fish migration to continue upstream and create 13 hectares of high-quality public open space. Another benefit will be enhanced foot and cycle paths that benefit residents and visitors.

Construction began in July 2022 and it is expected main construction works will be completed in spring 2024.

You can follow the project’s progress here.