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PA MediaThe voles were caught in special traps before being relocated PA Media<\/p>\nRare water voles, which burrow underground in Glasgow, have been relocated to a new area ahead of drainage work by Scottish Water.<\/p>\n
Unlike other voles, which generally live beside streams and rivers, the fossorial voles, first discovered in the city in 2008, live in grassy spaces in the urban environment.<\/p>\n
They have adapted to dig like moles and burrow underground in parks and grassy areas around the East End of the city.<\/p>\n
A specialist team of ecologists has now completed work to carefully trap and move the population from the Wellhouse area to a suitable habitat nearby, the location of which is being kept confidential.<\/p>\n
The team used empty Pringle tubes to help catch the voles, as they were just the right size to help funnel the creatures while encouraging them into crates.<\/p>\n
PA MediaThe voles were caught in special traps before being relocated PA Media<\/p>\n
The voles were moved in recent weeks ahead of work to construct a new Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS) detention basin in the area.<\/p>\n
Scottish Water\u2019s alliance team manager, Steven Greenhill, said: \u201cScottish Water takes its role and responsibility to protect the local environment very seriously, which is why we\u2019ve undertaken a very significant amount of work to ensure the protection of these very rare voles.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur thanks to all the partners involved for their knowledge and expertise in both trapping and relocating the voles safely.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are now working hard to deliver this important drainage project for our customers in Wellhouse.\u201d<\/p>\n
Scottish Water said the SUDS project will prevent as much rainwater from entering the combined sewer network, reducing the risk of the system becoming overwhelmed during periods of heavy rain.<\/p>\n
It said the scheme will deliver significant cost and carbon saving benefits \u2014 eliminating the need to pump and ultimately treat rainwater before it is returned to the environment.<\/p>\n
Jenny Craig, environmental manager at Scottish Water, said: \u201cThis has been a real team effort spanning several years, and involving collaboration between Scottish Water, Glasgow City Council, NatureScot, the Seven Lochs Wetland Park and our ecologists at Tetra Tech.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a great example of all the work that is done in the background to support this essential project while also protecting the wildlife that makes Glasgow\u2019s East End so special.\u201d<\/p>\n
The population of rare voles is said to be of national significance.<\/p>\n
Julia Ferguson, associate director of ecology at Tetra Tech, said: \u201cGlasgow\u2019s fossorial water voles are truly remarkable \u2014 they\u2019re one of the few known populations in the UK to have adapted to living in urban grasslands away from water.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been carefully trapping and relocating the voles to a suitable nearby habitat, and hope to see this new area act as an important connecting habitat for fragmented water vole colonies in the area.\u201d<\/p>\n
Scottish Water said the SUDS project plays a key part in enabling more social and affordable housing to be developed in the area.<\/p>\n
The project is being delivered by Caledonia Water Alliance (CWA) on behalf of Scottish Water, and work is expected to be complete by summer next year.<\/p>\n
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