We’ve looked at animal ladders on this blog before, especially fish ladders, check out the post back on December 26th if you haven’t already it’s weirdly fascinating! But, did you know that a new type of ladder for water-based animals has arrived?

Inspired by a project that provided ramps for Otters in Derbyshire so they could avoid crossing a road, the new water vole ladders are being rolled out in London.  Hanwell Lock Flight in Ealing is on the Grand Union Canal, where manmade islands have been set to provide a new habitat for the voles living in the adjacent pond.

They have not been able to access the canal habitat due to steel barriers along the bank, keeping the earth on either side from eroding.  This has made the pond vole population isolated, and it is hoped that the ladders will encourage them to venture into the canal and extend their territory.  The aim of the project is get lots of isolated vole colonies to venture further afield and breed with other water vole colonies.

The UK’s water vole population has been falling since the 1970s and has dropped ninety per cent since then, so projects to encourage vole colonies to meet, breed and improve the species’ chance of survival are very important for this endangered creature.

The ladders in Ealing go over the steel sheeting and down into the water, allowing the voles to climb up and down easily.  As with any ladder that might be used in wet weather, the rungs are deeply serrated, and this is perfect for the vole’s claws to cling on to.  Once in the water, the voles can access the floating islands, and explore the rest of the network of vole ladders if they are feeling particularly adventurous.  If this project is successful then the vole ladders could be installed around other vole populations nationwide, thereby exponentially improving the odds of isolated colonies mixing.