WHERE have all the water voles gone?

Yorkshire has lost 97% of its water voles since 1990.

But Yorkshire Wildlife Trust is now working to help them recover by protecting the places they live in and to create new habitats.

Brian Lavelle, the trust's water for wildlife and people officer, said: "This type of survey is a vital part of our work to protect this threatened species.

"There are very few records for this area and we are particularly interested in Kirklees.

"To get an accurate picture we need to know where water voles have been seen recently. Numbers are so low that every site is important.

"Once we know more about where existing colonies are, we can plan to improve conditions by linking these sites along corridors, creating the right habitat."

He said the Trust can provide advice on managing land to encourage water voles.

"Their numbers have dropped because of the loss of their natural habitat and being preyed upon by the non-native American mink.

"Also many people mistake the endangered water vole for the brown rat and accidentally poison them or disturb them," he said.

If anyone has seen a water vole on their land or has seen one from a public footpath, call the trust on 01904 659570.

* Voles are often confused for rats.

* They have small hidden ears, silky mid- brown fur, a blunt nose and a short furry tale.

* They feed on vegetation.

* They live in burrows in the soft banks of rivers and streams.

* They prefer banks that are not overhung with trees and bushes where the vegetation on the banks can grow lush and dense.

* Streams that have reeds and sedges at the margins provide an ideal water vole habitat.