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Water voles bank on a nice new home at zoo

by Laura Shannon
19/ 3/2008

ENDANGERED water voles have been rescued from Kingsway Business Park and are being looked after at Chester Zoo.

Water voles are the fastest declining mammal in the UK and are often poisoned or disturbed when mistaken for brown rats.

An ecology study was carried out at the site before development work began and more than 30 tiny voles were discovered.Now they are part of a breeding programme at Chester Zoo.

Eventually the small creatures will be returned to their original habitat once development and conservation work is complete.

James Andrewes, a senior keeper at the zoo, visited four primary schools to teach pupils about identifying water voles.

He said: "Teaching young people about endangered species and Chester Zoo’s work to protect them is very important.

"I hope the pupils will be able to go along and spot a real life water vole once the animals are returned to their Kingsway habitat."

The lessons were held at Our Lady and St Anselm’s Primary, Lowerplace Primary, St Peter’s CE Primary and Sandbrook Primary Schools.

New water vole habitats being created at Kingsway were covered in the sessions.

Cuddly water vole toys were used to demonstrate to pupils how the animals are recognised, monitored and tracked.

Alex McGarry, from St Peter’s CE Primary School said: "This was a wonderful opportunity for the pupils to learn about an endangered species whose habitat is close to the school.

"It was a fantastic way of interlinking real life with the curriculum and the children thoroughly enjoyed the visit from Kingsway and Chester Zoo."