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Voles are small rodents that grow to 8–23 cm (3–9 in), depending on the species. Females can have five to ten litters per year, though with an average lifespan of three months and requiring one month to adulthood, two litters is the norm. [1] Gestation lasts for three weeks and the young voles reach sexual maturity in a month.
Microtus is a genus of voles found in North America, Europe and northern Asia. The genus name refers to the small ears of these animals. They are stout rodents with short ears, legs and tails.
The taiga vole's habitat stretches from northwestern Canada to Alaska. [3] Fossils have been found as far south as Arkansas, Tennessee and Virginia, suggesting that the taiga voles cover a much smaller range now than in the past. [3] Taiga vole fossils have been found south of where the Laurentide Ice Sheet once was during the late Pleistocene. [4]
The western meadow vole (Microtus drummondii) is a species of North American vole found in western North America, the midwestern United States, western Ontario, Canada, and formerly in Mexico. It was previously considered conspecific with the eastern meadow vole ( M. pennsylvanicus ), but genetic studies indicate that it is a distinct species.
The American mink is a carnivore that feeds on rodents, fish, crustaceans, frogs, and birds. In its introduced range in Europe it has been classified as an invasive species linked to declines in European mink , Pyrenean desman , and water vole populations.
Eastern meadow voles are active year-round [8] [9] and day or night, with no clear 24-hour rhythm in many areas. [10] Most changes in activity are imposed by season, habitat, cover, temperature, and other factors. Eastern meadow voles have to eat frequently, and their active periods (every two to three hours) are associated with food digestion.
Voles are seldom seen outside these runways, which enable a faster and safer locomotion and easier orientation. The climbing ability of the common vole is very poor. Underground nests are dug 30–40 cm (12–16 in) deep into the ground and are used for food storage, offspring raising, and as a place for rest and sleep.
The North American water vole or just water vole (Microtus richardsoni) is the largest North American vole. It is found in the northwestern United States and southern parts of western Canada . This animal has been historically considered a member of genus Arvicola , but molecular evidence demonstrates that it is more closely related to North ...