Water voles, a semi-aquatic water rodent, are just one of many species going "locally extinct." They still exist in the wild, but due to a changing climate and habitat loss, they have disappeared from their usual habitats.
The BBC reported that estimates suggest the population of this species declined approximately 93% in the 20th century. These adorable water rats used to be abundant in Surrey, but locals have barely seen them in the past 20 to 25 years. But volunteers led by the Environment Agency and the National Trust have reintroduced this species into the area.
To help bring water voles back from their local extinction, volunteers released around 200 water voles along the River Wey in Sussex, Surrey, and Hampshire. They placed siblings inside habitat boxes with holes that let the water voles go in and out as they pleased. This allowed the animals to get acclimated to their new habitat.
After a few days of acclimation, volunteers removed the boxes entirely to allow the water voles to roam around and begin making new homes. The group is hopeful that, with this repopulation program, the water voles will soon make a return to the area.
As volunteer Bryony Chapman explained to the BBC, "Water voles aren't just lovely animals, they're important to the whole ecosystem."
This species does indeed play a vital role in wetland ecosystems. Its need to burrow helps spread seeds and nutrients around and aerates the soil. This improves the soil's water retention and helps it maintain its structure.
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As a result of water voles' ecosystem engineering, plants tend to be healthier and more diverse where the species lives, particularly flowering plants that attract pollinators. Since pollinators boost the protection of human food supplies, both the environment and people will benefit from the return of water voles to the area.
National Trust lead ranger for the South Downs West, David Elliott, told the BBC, "It's a real moment of celebration and I couldn't be happier about seeing the species come back."
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