Southwestern Water Vole
Encyclopedia
The Southwestern Water Vole or Southern Water Vole, Arvicola sapidus is a large amphibious vole
found in most of France
and south-westwards through Spain
and Portugal
. Although historically considered to be a member of the same species as the Eurasian Water Vole, Musser and Carleton (2005) considered it distinct enough to warrant full species status. It is listed on the IUCN Red List
as vulnerable. It is threatened for many of the same reasons as the Northern water vole, and a campaign is currently underway to seek protection for the species, both at a national level and at European Union level.
Vole
A vole is a small rodent resembling a mouse but with a stouter body, a shorter hairy tail, a slightly rounder head, smaller ears and eyes, and differently formed molars . There are approximately 155 species of voles. They are sometimes known as meadow mice or field mice in North America...
found in most of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and south-westwards through Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. Although historically considered to be a member of the same species as the Eurasian Water Vole, Musser and Carleton (2005) considered it distinct enough to warrant full species status. It is listed on the IUCN Red List
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
as vulnerable. It is threatened for many of the same reasons as the Northern water vole, and a campaign is currently underway to seek protection for the species, both at a national level and at European Union level.
Sources
- Musser, G. G. and M. D. Carleton. 2005. Superfamily Muroidea. Pp. 894-1531 in Mammal Species of the World a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder eds. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.