Water voles are one of the UKs most rapidly declining mammals, and individual welfare is severely impacted by mink predation and habitat degradation.
Individual water vole welfare is severely compromised by the threat and reality of mink predation. Mink are highly efficient predators of water vole colonies, entering burrows and killing entire families. The fear stress from mink presence causes chronic elevation of stress hormones even without direct predation. Habitat loss reduces the dense vegetation water voles need for shelter and security. Conservation mink control directly reduces welfare costs to individual voles across recovering populations.