The vole is a rodent of the family Crictidae, which is widely distributed over Europe, Asia and North America, and also includes the hamster and lemmings. There are about 155 species of voles.
They are sometimes known as meadow mice or field mice in North America and Australia.
The body of a vole is stout and entirely covered with fur. Depending on the habitat the color of the fur can be grey, brown or white.
Voles are often confused with brown rats, but can be distinguished by their neat small ears, smaller eyes, a slightly rounder head, furry tail and blunt nose. Their legs are also short.
Adult voles, depending on the species, are 7.5 to 17.5 centimetres (three to seven inches) long.
Most species of vole are herbivorous, feeding on a variety of grasses, seeds, bulbs, and tubers. They eat bark and roots of trees, usually in fall or winter. Voles store seeds and other plant matter in underground chambers. Some species also eat insects.
The prairie vole is notable for its monogamous sexual fidelity, since the male is usually faithful to the female, and shares in the raising of pups. The woodland vole is also usually monogamous.
Voles embark on epic treks of more than nine miles in their search for a mate – but only 10 per cent succeed.
Many animals hunt voles, for example owls, hawks, coyotes, cats, foxes, weasels and snakes.
10,000 voles must be caught by a pair of barn owls each year to feed their hungry young.
Voles dig vast, multi-storey burrows in the banks of rivers and streams that include underwater entrances and emergency exits for attacks.
Despite a cute appearance, males get aggressive if another invades their territory. Rivalry erupts into loud fights in which they rip off chunks of fur and emit high-pitched shrieks.
The water vole makes a distinctive rasping squeak when frightened and a high, shrill squeak when under attack.
Voles comfort each other when mistreated, spending more time grooming a mistreated vole. This type of empathetic behavior is unusual and prior to its discovery in a 2016 study, it was previously thought to only occur in animals with advanced cognition, such as humans, apes, and elephants.
As many as 88% of voles die during the first month of life.
The average life of the smaller vole species is three to six months. These voles rarely live longer than 12 months.
Larger species, such as the European water vole Arvicola, live longer. They usually die during their second winter.
A Mediterranean pine vole, which was captured twice at intervals of 33 months, is believed to exhibit the maximum life span ever recorded for a vole.
In most of Europe they are seen as an agricultural pest, and in Russia they are killed for their fur. It takes hundreds to make a single coat.
Source Daily Mail
They are sometimes known as meadow mice or field mice in North America and Australia.
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| Pixiebay |
The body of a vole is stout and entirely covered with fur. Depending on the habitat the color of the fur can be grey, brown or white.
Voles are often confused with brown rats, but can be distinguished by their neat small ears, smaller eyes, a slightly rounder head, furry tail and blunt nose. Their legs are also short.
Adult voles, depending on the species, are 7.5 to 17.5 centimetres (three to seven inches) long.
Most species of vole are herbivorous, feeding on a variety of grasses, seeds, bulbs, and tubers. They eat bark and roots of trees, usually in fall or winter. Voles store seeds and other plant matter in underground chambers. Some species also eat insects.
 |
| Pixiebay |
The prairie vole is notable for its monogamous sexual fidelity, since the male is usually faithful to the female, and shares in the raising of pups. The woodland vole is also usually monogamous.
Voles embark on epic treks of more than nine miles in their search for a mate – but only 10 per cent succeed.
Many animals hunt voles, for example owls, hawks, coyotes, cats, foxes, weasels and snakes.
10,000 voles must be caught by a pair of barn owls each year to feed their hungry young.
Voles dig vast, multi-storey burrows in the banks of rivers and streams that include underwater entrances and emergency exits for attacks.
Despite a cute appearance, males get aggressive if another invades their territory. Rivalry erupts into loud fights in which they rip off chunks of fur and emit high-pitched shrieks.
The water vole makes a distinctive rasping squeak when frightened and a high, shrill squeak when under attack.
Voles comfort each other when mistreated, spending more time grooming a mistreated vole. This type of empathetic behavior is unusual and prior to its discovery in a 2016 study, it was previously thought to only occur in animals with advanced cognition, such as humans, apes, and elephants.
As many as 88% of voles die during the first month of life.
The average life of the smaller vole species is three to six months. These voles rarely live longer than 12 months.
Larger species, such as the European water vole Arvicola, live longer. They usually die during their second winter.
A Mediterranean pine vole, which was captured twice at intervals of 33 months, is believed to exhibit the maximum life span ever recorded for a vole.
In most of Europe they are seen as an agricultural pest, and in Russia they are killed for their fur. It takes hundreds to make a single coat.
Source Daily Mail
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