Water voles have declined by approximately 90 percent in the UK since the 1970s, driven by American mink predation and habitat loss, making them one of the most rapidly declining UK mammals.
Water vole welfare is fundamentally threatened by mink predation — being cornered and killed in a burrow by a predator is an acutely fearful and painful death. The stress of living in habitats where mink are present manifests as disrupted colony structure and reduced reproductive success. Individual voles in mink-affected areas live with a constant predation threat that disrupts foraging and social behaviour. Mink control programmes protect individual water vole welfare by reducing this ongoing existential threat. Habitat restoration — clearing and managing riparian vegetation and bankside structure — supports vole colonisation of new areas and reduces exposure risk by providing appropriate cover and burrow sites.