Meadow voles

Microtus pennsylvanicus

Appearance:

The meadow vole has short legs and an equally short tail. Its chestnut-brown body, which appears gray in winter, is 16 cm long. A round nose and four toes on the front feet, as well as 5 toes on the hind legs characterize this vole strikingly.

Reproduction:

Female meadow voles give birth 1-5 times a year and give birth to up to 5 young. They live for 1 year in the wild, but can live up to 4 years in captivity.

Way of life:

In summer it is usually seen at night, in winter rather during the day. It has a purely vegetarian diet, preferring grasses and seeds, but also tree bark. Moist meadows with tall vegetation and fields are its natural habitat. While it builds underground in summer, its nest is above ground in winter, but under the snow cover.