Species: Microtus richardsoni

North American Water Vole
Species
    Kingdom
    Animalia
    Phylum
    Craniata
    Class

    Mammalia

    Order

    Rodentia

    Family

    Cricetidae

    Genus

    Microtus

    Classification
    Other Global Common Names
    campagnol de Richardson
    Informal Taxonomy
    Animals, Vertebrates - Mammals - Rodents
    Formal Taxonomy
    Animalia - Craniata - Mammalia - Rodentia - Cricetidae - Microtus - , using mitochondrial DNA sequencing.
    Migration
    true - false - false
    Non-migrant
    true
    Locally Migrant
    false
    Food Comments
    Leaves and occasionally stems of forbs are the major foods. Also eats grasses, sedges and willows. May eat some seeds and insects. Feeds on subterranean parts of plants throughout the year.
    Reproduction Comments
    In Alberta, mating activity was recorded late May or early June through August or September; young first entered trappable population in early July; maximum of 2 litters per year; average litter size about 5-6 (range 2-9); about 26% of young bred before their first winter (Ludwig 1988). In laboratory animals gestation lasted a minimum of 22 days.
    Ecology Comments
    Populations may fluctuate dramatically yearly or seasonally. In Alberta, monthly density estimates (June-September) in several streamside sites ranged from 0.2-12.2 per ha; seasonal recruitment increased population size 0.8-6.2 times, highest numbers in August or September (Ludwig 1988).
    Length
    26
    NatureServe Global Status Rank
    G5
    Global Status Last Reviewed
    1996-11-13
    Global Status Last Changed
    1996-11-13
    Other Status

    LC - Least concern

    Conservation Status Map
    <img src="http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/GetMapGif?CA.AB=S3&CA.BC=S4&US.ID=S4&US.MT=S4&US.OR=S4&US.UT=S3&US.WA=S5&US.WY=S2" alt="Conservation Status Map" style="width: 475px; height: auto;" />
    Global Range
    Northwestern North America. Two disjunct ranges: southwestern British Columbia south through Washington and Oregon; southeastern British Columbia and southwestern Alberta through eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, western Montana, western Wyoming, Idaho, to central Utah (Hall 1981).
    ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.102649