Voles are small mammals that tend to have large heads, compact bodies, and short noses. Microtus means “small ear” and the voles of this genus have short ears that barely protrude from the fur ...

The woodland vole shows many adaptations for its burrowing lifestyle. The fur is short, soft, and silky, almost mole-like in texture. The front feet and claws are larger than those of its relatives.

Chris Packham uses a man-made burrow to investigate water voles, which are one of the rarest burrowing animals in the UK and an endangered species. He explains how they like to spend a lot of time ...