Completed
European Water Vole
Arvicola amphibius
Silhouette: T. Michael Keesey · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassMammalia (Mammals)
- OrderRodentia (Rodents)
- FamilyCricetidae (Hamsters, Voles, Lemmings, and Allies)
- GenusArvicola (Eurasian Water Voles)
- SpeciesArvicola amphibius (European Water Vole)
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%
5 Verified sightings at Cairngorms National Park From 2019 to 2026
5 In 1 park
October Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted
About the European Water Vole
The European water vole (Arvicola amphibius) or northern water vole is a semi-aquatic rodent. It is often informally called the water rat, though it only superficially resembles a true rat. Water voles have rounder noses than rats, deep brown fur, chubby faces, and short fuzzy ears; unlike rats, their tails, paws, and ears are covered with hair.
In the wild, on average, water voles only live about five months. Maximum longevity in captivity is two and a half years. Water voles reach 14–22 centimetres (5.5–8.7 in) in length, plus a tail which is about half the length of the body. Weights reported for adults are variable. It is possible for large, optimal adults to weigh as much as 225 to 386 g (7.9 to 13.6 oz). However, these are peak weights. Elsewhere, the mean body mass has been reported as 60 to 140 g (2.1 to 4.9 oz), although this figure includes immature water voles. The minimum weight to successfully breed as well as to survive winter is reportedly 112 g (4.0 oz) in females and 115 g (4.1 oz) in males. As a species, the mean body mass is claimed as 140 g (4.9 oz).
Overall, European water voles are a uniform dark brown colour, with slightly paler coloration on... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of European Water Vole in Cairngorms National Park
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cairngorms National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Cities Where Found
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Helsinki | 🇫🇮 Finland | |
| 2 | Liverpool | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 3 | Moscow | 🇷🇺 Russia | |
| 4 | London | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 5 | Saint Petersburg | 🇷🇺 Russia |
Zoos & Centres Where Found
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Slimbridge Wetland Centre | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 2 | British Wildlife Centre | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 3 | Tierpark Schlichtweg 15 in München | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 4 | Zoo Schlichtweg 11 in München | 🇩🇪 Germany |
Closest Relatives at Cairngorms National Park
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing a European Water Vole in Cairngorms National Park?
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a European Water Vole sighting in Cairngorms National Park on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 19th most-seen of the 19 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see a European Water Vole in Cairngorms National Park?
June, August and October
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a European Water Vole in Cairngorms National Park on a given day, against under 5% in July, September and November–May, the lowest months.
What time of day is best to see a European Water Vole?
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most European Water Vole sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Where else can you see a European Water Vole?
Only Cairngorms National Park, in our data
Cairngorms National Park is the only park on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate European Water Vole sightings: about 10% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
Which relatives of the European Water Vole live in Cairngorms National Park?
Same family: Cricetidae
The closest relatives of the European Water Vole that you can see in Cairngorms National Park (family Cricetidae, Hamsters, Voles, Lemmings, and Allies) are Bank Vole (about 10%) and Field Vole (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
Where does the European Water Vole sighting chance come from?
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the European Water Vole is recorded against all the mammals logged in Cairngorms National Park (5 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
