European snow vole facts for kids
Quick facts for kids European snow vole |
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| Conservation status | |
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| Genus: |
Chionomys
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| Species: |
nivalis
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The European snow vole is a small rodent that lives in mountains. It's also called the snow vole (Chionomys nivalis). It has soft, pale grey fur and a light-colored tail. This vole grows to about 14 cm (5.5 inches) long, with a tail that's about 7 cm (2.7 inches) long.
European snow voles live in the mountains of southern and eastern Europe, and southwestern Asia. They prefer rocky places and scree (slopes covered in loose rocks). You'll often find them above the tree line, where trees stop growing. They usually live alone, hiding under big rocks or in cracks and tunnels among the stones.
Contents
What is a Snow Vole?
Meet the European Snow Vole
The European snow vole was first described in 1842. Scientists later placed it in its own genus called Chionomys. A genus is a group of closely related animals. The name Chionomys nivalis is now widely accepted.
Fossils show that the European snow vole developed in Europe a long time ago. Its relatives, Robert's snow vole and the Caucasian snow vole, evolved in other areas. All three types of snow voles live in a wide band of land across southwestern Europe and Asia. They can all be found in the Caucasus Mountains and the Pontic Mountains in Turkey.
How to Spot a Snow Vole
Physical Features of the Snow Vole
The European snow vole has soft, thick fur that is pale grey with a hint of brown. It has a rounded nose, small black eyes, and long white whiskers. Its ears are a medium size. The tail is quite long, whitish, and has short, thin hairs.
From head to body, it measures about 11 to 14 cm (4.25 to 5.5 inches). Its tail adds another 5 to 7.5 cm (2 to 3 inches). Adult snow voles usually weigh between 28 and 57 grams (1 and 2 ounces). When they make sounds, you might hear a squeak or their teeth chattering.
Where Snow Voles Live
Mountain Homes of the Snow Vole
The European snow vole calls many mountain ranges home. These include the Pyrenees, Apennines, Alps, and Carpathians in Europe. In Asia, they live in the Caucasus, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, and Turkmenistan. The only island where they are found is Euboea, off the coast of Greece.
They mostly live above the tree line in rocky areas. You can find them in alpine meadows, on slopes covered with boulders, and in rock cracks. They also live in areas with small mountain pines and alpine rose bushes. Sometimes, in places like France, they can be found at lower elevations in rocky regions.
Snow voles prefer places with specific types of soil that are very rocky. They are found at lower altitudes if these soils are present. They are more common at medium to high altitudes because there is less competition from other animals. These animals include grasshoppers, alpine marmots, ibex, and chamois. If their preferred rocky soils are in forests, they face competition from animals like edible dormouses and garden dormouses.
Studies show that snow voles are experts at living among rocks. Female voles with young often choose the middle parts of scree areas. They especially like spots near scree junipers. Males and females without young are less picky about where they live.
Snow Vole Habits
Daily Life and Social Behavior
During the summer breeding season, female European snow voles have their own special areas. They can be quite aggressive towards other females if they meet near their boundaries. Males have larger areas that overlap, and they are more tolerant of other voles.
In winter, these boundaries disappear, and voles become nomadic and solitary. They are aggressive towards other snow voles they meet. Females often fight other females. When males meet, they might investigate each other more, but if they fight, it can be very intense. Males meeting females show a mix of these behaviors. This behavior helps them find enough food in their tough mountain environment.
Feeding and Winter Survival
This vole is active both day and night. In summer, you might see it resting on rocks, especially on sunny days. It digs tunnels among rocks and tree roots, with many exits. The European snow vole does not hibernate in winter. It might even take shelter in mountain huts. When it runs, it holds its tail straight up.
Snow voles eat the green parts of plants, grasses, buds, shoots, and roots. Sometimes, they also eat insects and their larvae. In summer, they collect grass and leaves. They let these dry in the sun before storing them in underground rooms. This stored food helps them survive through the winter.
Raising Young Voles
European snow voles usually have two litters of young each year. A litter typically has about four babies, but can range from two to seven. The mother carries the babies for about three weeks before they are born.
The young voles are born helpless. Their eyes open after about thirteen days. They stop drinking their mother's milk at eighteen days old. After four weeks, they become independent. They usually don't have their own babies until the next year. Snow voles can live for two to four years.
Snow Vole Status
Conservation Status of the European Snow Vole
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) lists the European snow vole as "Least Concern". This means it is not currently considered a threatened species. Even though its habitat is spread out, it is common in many suitable places. Its population seems stable, and it doesn't appear to be facing any major dangers right now.
