Northern Red-Backed Vole - Sierra Club BC
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Northern Red-Backed Vole

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Northern Red-Backed Vole

Myodes rutilus 

Appearance

Northern red-backed voles can be identified by a reddish brown stripe of fur that runs from their head to the base of their tail. They are 14 centimetres in length and their tail is about 4 centimetres. They weigh only 24 grams. 

Range & habitat

Northern red-backed voles live from Alaska and B.C. across Canada to Hudson’s Bay. They are commonly found near water and in subalpine forests. 

Reciprocal relationships

The northern red-backed voles have many different foods they like, including nuts, seeds, fruits, berries, leaves and shoots, bark and roots of plants and trees, lichens, and underground fungi and insects. When they eat seeds, fruits, and berries, they can help spread seeds through their poop! This can help new vegetation grow throughout the region. These voles are also the food source for many birds and small mammals.  

They are generally nocturnal animals and only come out occasionally during the day. They do not hibernate, but they live on food collected during the summer months to get through the cold northern winters. This rodent has a habit of tunnelling through the subalpine forest floor, nesting in the hollows of tree roots, and turning grass into a ball-shaped nest. They do not live for very long, but they reproduce quickly and thus are the prey of many different animals. 

Humans often have negative relationships with voles, as they can dig up plants inside of gardens. However, these voles are important as primary consumers in our ecosystems. So, while they may be seen as pests to us, they still have an important role to play. 

Status 

COSEWIC: Not Reported 
CDC: Yellow 

More Information 

If you belong to a First Nation with a story or piece of information not represented here and you would like to share more about this species, please email us at education@sierraclub.bc.ca

Photo credit

Canva

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