Water voles have suffered catastrophic population declines due to American mink predation and habitat loss, but targeted restoration programmes are supporting recovery in some areas.
Water voles face extreme predation pressure from mink, with entire colonies sometimes wiped out within seasons. Individual voles experience the terror of predator pursuit and, in many cases, death. Conservation interventions that remove mink, restore riparian vegetation and reintroduce voles benefit both populations and individuals by reducing predation pressure and improving habitat quality.