EXPERTS are celebrating rocketing numbers of water voles in Gloucestershire’s waterways after the latest survey showed hundreds were living in the county.

Just five years ago the wetland mammal was in danger of being declared extinct in the county as only a tiny population was known to exist.

Once the seriousness of their situation became obvious efforts were coordinated between Slimbridge Wetland Centre, Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and the Environment Agency to monitor their numbers and improve their habitats.

In this area only five breeding pairs were living inside the fox-proof perimeter fence at Slimbridge Wetland Centre. Now at least 300 live on the site and the species has spread to other waterways in the surrounding areas.

Dave Paynter, head of reserves at WWT, said: "We are delighted with the results as it shows that by managing a habitat carefully you can make a real difference to a species under threat. They are very popular perhaps because of the character Ratty from Wind in the Willows.

"These rodents showed a very severe decline and the future looked pretty bleak for them so it is fantastic news that once again they could soon be a regular sight on Gloucestershire’s waterways."

Water voles – once a common sight in Britain – underwent a massive decline in the UK over the last 25 years as they were threatened by introduced mink and habitat loss. In 2007 a survey showed they occupied just 250 metres of wetland at Slimbridge, this grew to 3,500 metres in 2008 and the most recent results indicate that they are living in 15,500 metres of wetland ditch at the reserve. The success is not limited to the reserve as they have spread from here onto other waterways in the area such as the nearby canal.