Wildlife

Wild Deer Mouse Habitat Welfare

Small mammals including mice, voles, and shrews are foundational prey species whose welfare is affected by agricultural land management, with population collapses driving wider ecosystem welfare impacts.

Key Facts

Field voles support 95% of barn owl productivity during peak population years
Cyclical vole population crashes affect predator welfare through starvation
Rough grassland is essential habitat for field voles and other small mammals
Pesticide use reduces invertebrate prey for shrews causing starvation
Vegetation diversity maintains stable small mammal populations year-round

Welfare Considerations

Small mammal welfare is foundational to broader ecosystem welfare. Maintaining rough grassland and invertebrate-rich habitat prevents population crashes that cause starvation throughout food chains.

What You Can Do

Maintain rough grassland areas in gardens and farmland for small mammal habitat
Support agri-environment schemes providing undisturbed field margins for small mammals
Reduce pesticide use to maintain invertebrate prey for shrews
Record small mammal sightings and track population indicators through citizen science