Westland Countryside Stewards

Reconnecting with local nature

Close up of a water vole during the phase one release of Westland Countryside Stewards water vole reintroduction project in Cornwall

Cornwall Water Vole Reintroduction

Phase 1: The First Water Vole Releases. Jun 2013

Derek Gow holding a water vole
Derek Gow hard releasing a water vole into the Bude catchment

The initial phase of the Bude Water vole release project is now underway with funding from The Environment Agency and the assistance of Fraser Proudfoot from The Weir Restaurant.  His site allows for a release of 100 water voles, under the direction of the Derek Gow Consultancy.  It seemed appropriate to have the event filmed by Hannah Sneyd, for inclusion in the BBC2 documentary The Burrowers, a natural history programme dedicated to burrowing animals.  Although the BBC iPlayer no longer has the episodes you can still see clips from the programme.

Members of Westland Countryside Stewards and Derek Gow Consultancy are discussing the water vole release. There are water voles in travelling cages on the ground beside them.
Westland Countryside Stewards and Derek Gow Consultancy getting prepared for the water vole release

The majority of the water voles remain in their release cages for 5 days, being fed each day by Westland Countryside Stewards, after which their new lives begin in our locality. A fresh food diet of apple and carrot sustain them in these early days.

Hannah Sneyd is preparing her camera equipment for filming scenes of the water vole release for the BBC documentary, The Burrowers. In the background is a vehicle and trailer containing equipment for the water vole release.
Hannah Sneyd filmed the water vole release for the BBC2 documentary The Burrowers