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nafex - [NAFEX] size of meadow voles

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  • From: Alan Haigh <alandhaigh@gmail.com>
  • To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [NAFEX] size of meadow voles
  • Date: Thu, 29 Apr 2010 05:07:49 -0500

The correction given me about meadow vole size caused me to do a little searching and now I'm a bit confused about my own rodents here in southeastern NY.  I described 2 types- one slightly smaller and tan and white and only in the 4" range that I think are meadow voles.  These seem to be responsible for girdling trees and create runs through grass.  A little larger, maybe 4.5 inches,  with shorter tails and grey-black fur are what I identify as my pine voles.  They come up from fairly deep holes and kill the trees by stripping the roots of everything but the largest wood at the center.

The only difference between the references I find and what I see here is my voles don't get 6' long if we're talking about body length.  The reference did say that size varies with larger animals the colder the climate.  Can anybody explain what might be the reason for the smaller rodents in my area?  I've been trapping these animals here for 20 years and have seen hundreds if not thousands of the animals.  If there were any larger rodents here besides wood rats, chip monks and squirrels I would have trapped them as well because I set both rat and mouse traps.



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