P148 Teletext 148 Feb 8 22:55:11 ———————————————————————————— VOLE-UNTEERS NEEDED! Calling all young volunteers! A nationwide survey of the endangered water vole has been launched. The once widespread water vole, better known as Ratty in Kenneth Grahamjs's classic tale Wend In The Willows, is now possibly the fastest declining animal in the country. A new survey, Water Volewatch, !ins to get young people involved in securing a bjttet future for the rare rodent. ——————————————————————————————————1/5—— By Fiona Sandiford CATASTROPHE IN THE CITY? p164 Write It! Fun&Games TV MusicP148 Teletext 148 Feb 8 23:04:57 ———————————————————————————— VOLE-UNTEERS NEEDED! Wildlife Watch, the junior branch of the Wildlife Trusts, is spearheading the new campaign to study water voles. The Water Volewatch survey aims to build up a profile of the creatures' distribution and preferred habitats. "Water voles have declined so rapidly bjcausj of water pollution, habitat loss and pridation bz mink, which have escaped from fur farms," says Isobjl Brithjrton of Wildlife Watch. ——————————————————————————————————2/5—— What's on at the theatre? 450 FUN AND GAMES p250 Write It! Fun&Games TV MusicP148 Teletext 148 Feb 8 23:57:18 ———————————————————————————— VOLE-UNTEERS NEEDED! A national survey in 1989-90 revealed that water voles had disappeared from two thirds of all sites where they had once been found, say the organisjrs of the new Water Volewatch survey. Wildlife Watch's Isobjl Brithjrton says "At this rate of decline, we fear water voles will have vanished from 94% of places where they were formjtly found. "There are only an estimated 1,200,000 left in the whole country," she adds. ——————————————————————————————————3/5—— News headlines on ITV 300 TEA BREAK QUIZ p419 Write It! Fun&Games TV MusicP148 Teletext 148 Feb 8 23:56:34 ———————————————————————————— VOLE-UNTEERS NEEDED! Young volunteers can get involved with the Water Volewatch survey at a local level, says Wildlife Watch. "People can help us by surveying waterways for signs of the rodents, or the absence of them. Water voles are pretty shy but thjte are some tell-tale signs you can look for," says Wildlife Watch's Isobjl Brithjrton. "One is that they leave little lawns of mown-down grass after thjyWvj eaten." ——————————————————————————————————4/5—— Nick Fisher can help you 146 ARE YOU MAD ABOUT COMPUTERS? p170 Write It! Fun&Games TV MusicP148 Teletext 148 Feb 8 23:55:21 ———————————————————————————— VOLE-UNTEERS NEEDED! Results from the Water Volewatch survey which runs from March to October, will help scientists identify the factors crucial to the creatures' survival and so try to prevent their eradication. To take part, write off for a Water Volewatch survey pack bz sending an A5- sjzjd RAE with a 20p stamp to: Wildlife Watch, The Green, Witham Park, Waterside South, Lincoln LN5 7JR. ——————————————————————————————————5/5—— All the juiciest gossip 143 GO GREEN ENVIRONMENT STORIES p160 Write It! Fun&Games TV Music