AN organisation which highlighted the alarming decline in water vole numbers is to publish a detailed report into their plight later this year.
The Vincent Wildlife Trust (VWT) compiles research from naturalists all over the country, including a number in the North-East and North Yorkshire.
VWT researchers carried out two surveys in 1989-90 and 1996-1998, which revealed that the long-term decline throughout the 20th Century had developed into a serious population "crash".
Among regions experiencing the biggest drops were North Yorkshire, where water voles disappeared from 97 per cent of their known sites, and the North-East, which recorded figures only a little better.
Later this year, the trust will publish a more detailed analysis of its research, which has blamed loss of riverbank habitat, the impact of agriculture and attacks by mink for the dramatic decline.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article