VOLUNTEERS are needed to survey local waterways for an endangered species.

The People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) has called for help to survey water voles, whose populations have dropped by 90 per cent since the 1970s.

Despite being immortalised by Ratty in The Wind in the Willows, water voles have seen one of the most serious declines of any native wild animal.

This is due to habitat loss, fragmentation and predation from non-native American mink.

From April 15 to June 15, volunteer water vole watchers are being asked to visit their nearest stream, river, ditch or canal in search of the animals or signs of them, recording what they find online.

Signs include feeding stations, burrows in the riverbank, piles of droppings or listening out for the characteristic ‘plop’ as they dive into the water.

There are 700 pre-selected sites or a new site can be registered to survey.

No prior experience is needed and training is via Zoom.

The results from the survey will help conservationists find where water voles are living, how their populations are changing each year and where they are no longer found.

This is crucial to help and implement targeted conservation efforts to help prevent further decline.

This includes restoring degraded rivers, improving connectivity between wetlands and controlling the spread of mink.

Last year, 176 sites were surveyed, with water voles found at 53 of them, up from 2022, where 95 sites were surveyed, with water voles found at 37.

In Dorset, six sites were surveyed in 2023, with signs of water voles seen at one of these sites.

Emily Sabin, water vole officer at PTES, said: “With their glossy dark brown fur, blunt snouts and furry tails, water voles are incredibly cute, but the decline they continue to experience is nothing short of alarming.

“Thankfully, in some areas water voles are starting to make a comeback due to habitat restoration work and increased mink control, but their numbers are still much lower than they should be.

“To prevent any further losses and to hopefully start seeing water voles across our waterways more broadly, we need as many people to take part in our survey as possible.”

For more information visit ptes.org/watervoles.