Fight to save Shropshire's rare water voles

One of the county's rarest creatures - the water vole - is being decimated by "killer" minks, it was claimed today.

The vole, made famous by Ratty in the children's classic Wind in the Willows, has been left on the brink of extinction.

Shropshire Wildlife Trust development manager John Hughes, who says there is a group of the voles living in a stream in Newport and dubbed the American minks "killing machines", is backing Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard's calls to bring forward plans to protect the voles from predators at a recent House of Commons debate.

"It's fantastic," said Mr Hughes.

"He is genuinely interested in the environment, it's something he has taken to heart and he's trying to find out what's going on in the country. Water voles are one of those creatures where numbers have plummeted rapidly.

"Partly due to loss of habitat but also because of the rising mink populations.

"Mink are like killing machines, their impact on water voles is a bit like putting a fox in a hen house.

"There are a few places in Shropshire where water voles still have a stronghold, including Newport and Whitchurch, where mink numbers are quite low and it's a suitable habitat.

"We have got ongoing projects that are trying to work out where the water voles are, because you need to work out where they are before you can do something about conservation.

"We are always looking to make sure the habitat is improving and maintained.

"There should be an abundance of water voles in Shropshire."

Mr Pritchard, secretary of the parliamentary group for wildlife and conservation, made the request to the secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs, to bring forward plans to control mink populations.

"It is important to help protect Shropshire's bio-diversity", said Mr Pritchard. "This includes ensuring that the water vole population is given every opportunity to thrive."