Water voles are Britain’s fastest declining mammal but we are lucky enough to have a population on Letcombe Brook right in the middle of Wantage!
Many mammal species suffer from habitat loss and fragmentation, but we can help them by creating good feeding habitat or places for them to shelter and breed. Here are some things you can do to help.
How to help bats:
– Put up a bat box on your home or a suitable garden tree. Or make one for Wild Wantage to install in other green spaces/buildings.
– Plant flowers for night-time pollinators, which bats will feed on.
– Allow bats to live in your roof-space if you are lucky enough to have a colony.
– Keep your cats in at night – many bat casualties are caused by domestic cats. They have relatively few natural predators.
– If you find an injured bat contact your local bat carer via the National Bat Helpline 0345 1300 228. Or for guidance on all these measures visit: the Bat Conservation Trust
How you can help water voles:
– Help Letcombe Brook Project create and manage good habitat along the Letcombe Brook.
– If you are lucky enough to have riverbank on your property do not “garden” all the way to the water’s edge. Leave some natural habitat and natural banks as this is where voles make their burrows and feed.
– Keep your dogs out of the river – they can kill or chase water voles, often causing whole populations to be lost.
– For more information, visit the People’s Trust for Endangered Species water vole campaign
How to help hares:
– Advice for farmers here from the Hare Preservation Trust
Wild Wantage images ©Mark Bradfield / Lucy Duerdoth