Have you seen Ratty?
Izzie Mullin, Invasives Officer for West Cumbria Rivers Trust with ‘Ratty’
Conservation charity seeks people’s memories to help bring Water Voles Back to West Cumbria.
West Cumbria Rivers Trust are calling on the public to share their memories of water voles - the much-loved character ‘Ratty’ from The Wind in the Willows - as part of an ambitious plan to return them to West Cumbria’s rivers.
Water voles, famously immortalised as Ratty in Kenneth Grahame’s classic tale, were once a common sight along rivers and streams across the region. But habitat loss and predation by invasive American mink have pushed the native species to the brink of extinction.
Now, as part of the ‘Mink Free Rivers’ project at West Cumbria Rivers Trust (funded by Environment Agency), conservationists are preparing for a potential reintroduction of this iconic species - and they need your help to track down their historical haunts.
“We know official records are scarce, but we believe Ratty’s relatives were once widespread in West Cumbria,” explains Project Officer Izzie Mullin. “Personal memories and local stories could be the missing piece of the puzzle.”
Water voles are a keystone species, essential for healthy river habitats. As they munch their way through riverside plants, they help to maintain vibrant ecosystems and increase biodiversity - all while providing a crucial food source for native predators. It’s no wonder they’ve earned the nickname ‘nature’s chocolate biscuits!’
The project team is asking for local knowledge about:
Where you spotted water voles in West Cumbria (as precise as possible)
When you saw them
What the habitat was like
What colour the water voles were
Your name and contact details for follow-up
With mink eradication well underway, these memories will help conservationists plan the future return of Ratty and friends.
Izzie added: “Ratty’s riverside adventures captured imaginations for generations. With your help, we can bring those adventures back to life in West Cumbria.”
Share your memories now
www.westcumbriariverstrust.org/projects/inns/water-voles
Or call us on 017687 75429