Taiga Vole
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| Taiga Vole | ||||||||||||||
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| Microtus xanthognathus (Leach, 1815) |
The Taiga Vole, Microtus xanthognathus, is a large vole found in northwestern North America, including Alaska and northwestern Canada. It is also sometimes called the Yellow-cheeked Vole or Chestnut-cheeked Vole.
This animal is similar in appearance to the smaller Rock Vole. They have short ears and a long tail. Their fur is brown with grey underparts and a rusty yellow patch on the nose. They are 18 cm long with a 5 cm tail and weigh about 120 g.
These animals are found in northern forests near water or bogs. They make runways through the surface growth and underground burrows. They are usually found in colonies. They feed on grasses, lichens, horsetails and berries. They store food underground in their burrows for the winter. Like the Singing Vole, this animal may give a warning call to alert other members of the colony of danger.
The female vole has litters of 7 to 10 young. The vole population in a given area can vary greatly from year to year.
They are active year-round, usually during dark periods.
Although not commonly encountered, they can be locally abundant.
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[edit] References
- Rodent Specialist Group (1996). Microtus xanthognathus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006.
