Elegy For a River: Whiskers, Claws and Conservation’s Last, Wild Hope

by Tom Moorhouse

A DAILY MAIL BOOK OF THE 'particularly enjoyable'
'Somehow laugh-out-loud funny - passionate, warm and full of fascinating insights into the eccentric world of the field naturalist.' - Isabella Tree, author of Wilding

Water voles are small, brownish, bewhiskered and charming. Made famous by 'Ratty' in The Wind in the Willows , once they were a ubiquitous part of our waterways. They were a totem of our rivers. Now, however, they are nearly gone. This is their story, and the story of a conservationist with a wild that he could bring them back.

Tom Moorhouse spent eleven years beside rivers, fens, canals, lakes and streams, researching British wildlife. Quite a lot of it tried to bite him. He studied four main species - two native and endangered, two invasive and endangering - beginning with water voles. He wanted to solve their conservation problems. He wanted to put things right.

This book is about whether it worked, and what he learnt - and about what those lessons mean, not just for water voles but for all the world's wildlife. It is a book for anyone who has watched ripples spread on lazy waters, and wondered what moves beneath. Or who has waited in quiet hope for a rustle in the reeds, the munch of a stem, or the patter of unseen paws.

Praise for Tom

'The pages of this book are shot through with quicksilver light reflected from wet fur - not a lament for our rivers but a chorus of hope for their future.' - Raynor Winn, author of The Salt Path

'Beautiful and important. Tom's book is extraordinary in its gentle curiosity and sympathy for his subjects. I love this book.' - Sir Tim Smit KBE, Executive Vice-Chairman and Co-founder of the Eden Project

'Terrific. Lightly but beautifully written. Very moving. Water voles are adorable little beasts. They are also tough, randy and stroppy, as Tom Moorhouse makes clear in this wry, amusing account of the often bloody, painful and frustrating business of conservation fieldwork. 'I hold stubbornly to optimism,' he declares, and his Elegy for a River demands that we do the same.' - Christopher Somerville, walking correspondent for The Times and author of The January Man

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature, Environment, Ecology, Audiobook, Conservation, Animals

272 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2021

About the author

Dr Tom Moorhouse is an author of nature books and children's fiction, and also a conservation research scientist who worked for over twenty years at the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, part of Oxford University's Zoology Department.

Over his career he has researched quite a lot of British wildlife, most of which tried to bite him. He lives with his wife and daughter in Oxford. One day he hopes to persuade wild hedgehogs back into his garden.

Reviews

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elegy For a River is a conservationist's hopeful and charming study of our endangered riverbanks and the creatures that call it home. Picture a riverbank and you will most likely imagine the gentle sweep of a willow tree, the plop of an otter, the splash of a trout, the gentle lapping of the river at its bank. Few will picture the havoc that wreaks beneath the murky surface; the signal crayfish who ravage species and cost the tax payer millions, the mink who are free to prey on helpless water voles, or the pesticides that decimate species of otters. Our rivers are disappearing. Our careless lack of foresight has jeopardised the rivers and the lives of the creatures for whom it is home. But our losses are not irretrievable. There is hope. Tom Moorhouse shows us how years worth of research, fieldwork, patience and pragmatism – not to mention many bitten fingers - can restore our rivers to their natural abundance. He invites us to be a part of this project. Elegy for a River is a deeply personal and concerned love letter to the riverbank.

Through passionate, lively prose and expert knowledge, Tom Moorhouse shows us the peril these rivers face and the glimmers of hope that still dance on their surface. This is a book for nature lovers and fresh-water fans and promises to not only give us a glimpse into the sex lives of water voles, but also the beauty and fragility of our rivers. A funny and impassioned look at the natural world rather than simply being another dose of “we’re doomed” gloom. Tom Moorhouse’s writing reflects the years he’s spent beside rivers, fens, canals, lakes and streams researching British wildlife. A captivating, exquisite and utterly charming read written by a champion of British conservation, it is fascinating, moving and full of heart and although it addresses the changes in wildlife in Britain it doesn't do so in such a melancholy fashion as other similar books. It isn't often those considered experts in their field write and publish their thoughts, experiences and ruminations on the future of conservation, but when they do this is the result — an unforgettable, warm and almost magical read. Highly recommended.

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's hope for the water bike yet.

[Sophy H · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm just going to say one thing: fucking footnotes!!!!

Just stop it with the footnotes!

There is nothing more annoying than picking a book out on a great subject that you know you're really into, then starting to read and BOOM footnote, BOOM footnote! Every bloody page near enough! No-one needs to hear your little quips and jokes, just get on and tell us about water voles FFS!!

This could have been a great book if the author had just done his job.

Instead it's a 1 star smart arse no no.

[Martin Monus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely how Moorhouse manages to make the details of field work and water voles so interesting to read about. It's a great transition between the everyday struggles of the animals fighting for survival and the researcher working to analyse their lifeconditions with the destruction caused by our way of living and our stupid enormous misstakes due to a lack of ecological understanding and hubris. It really is a fun and educative read while also being an important first hand account of why we need to change our relationship with the natural world, how urgent it is and an inspiring description of how we really do have the means to fix some, but not all our f-*ck-ups.

[Lindsey Preston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you remember when you last saw a water vole? Or, have you ever seen a water vole, beside a river in its natural habitat? I’m not sure I have.
Tom Moorhouse spent eleven years beside rivers researching wildlife alongside and in particular the decline of water voles. He works tirelessly on solving their conservation problems. This book is an enjoyable, informative read whereby Tom brings to light the plight of these tenacious little creatures as well as offering a little hope for their futures.
An honest account of fieldwork and some amusing anecdotes in his footnotes.
Thank you to Penguin Random house for this proof copy.

[Nicola Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hats off to you Tom Moorhouse, and a bow from every conservation scientist, enthusiast and nature lover on a truly amazing book!

The authors personality shines through his writing and what is a very witty, funny and honest account of life in conservation. I could tell I was going to love this book from the first page. From the first sentence I was hooked and could effortlessly read on and on and on and just watched the chapters fly by. It’s a very effortless read and so so entertaining.

This book actually made me belly laugh and I was so in solidarity with the author in his experiences of field work, having been there too. It made me proud to be a scientist and avid conservation supporter. It definitely struck a cord and it was just overall, a joy to read. I also love it when authors use footnotes for humour so the book gets an extra 5 thousand stars for that (seriously so funny. I defy anyone to read this book and not break out into laughter - which will get you funny looks if you are in a public place..)

It was beautifully written and flows so well. This is one of those books that you can just effortlessly read and watch the time go by. I hated putting this book down as I just wanted to keep reading!

Throughout the fun anecdotes, authors experiences and tales and conservation insights though, there is an important message that the author so delicately and expertly portrays. That our nature is in danger.

I learnt a lot, I am a self proclaimed water vole expert now after reading this book. I’ve always had a soft spot for these little blighters and was already aware of their plight of sliding off into the dark oblivion of extinction, but now I really have a whole new appreciation for them. The book also delves into the authors experience with crayfish conservation and I can safely say my knowledge of crayfish has sky rocketed from a prior 0% to a solid upper increase.

I loved walking through the authors experiences with him, through adventures on fieldwork, starting PhD studies and ultimately working in a conservation field. The book also shed a very important light in the struggles, pitfalls and difficulties of conservation.

I’d recommend anyone to read this book, whether you are a nature enthusiast, conservationist, armchair water vole lover or avid reader of non fiction of the natural world, it’s a fantastic book and one that’s sure to be enjoyed once read!

I was lucky enough to read this book as an advanced copy, with thanks from the author and publishers on Netgalley, to give an honest opinion and review.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Random House UK and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book.

An Elegy for a River is a lovely exploration of two species of our rivers: water voles and white clawed crayfish, with an emphasis on the former. Tom takes us through the lives of water voles and his efforts through research to save them.

I really liked Tom's easy writing style and he was very likable. He has a clear passion for these animals and the environments they inhabit. This is sadly set against the back drop of a lack of funding for conservation and an incredible lack of will at the very top to make the changes necessary to sustain life on earth.

The only niggle I have with this book is the excessive use of asterisks (which felt like they were on nearly every page). I'm not sure if this is just a pre-release kindle thing but the formatting for the book meant these sections did not flow properly. They were often mixed up into different paragraphs in the book which required back and forth re-reading to figure out their follow on.

Overall though, I sped through this book and thoroughly enjoyed it. I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in nature and our natural world.

[Chantal Lyons · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bit sad that I haven't seen this book in any bookshops. But I'm very glad to have come across the audiobook version, and it works very well in that medium - Moorhouse's book is engagingly written, funny, and deeply poignant.

Much of the book follows the author during his fieldwork and his efforts to reintroduce water voles. There are plenty of self-deprecating anecdotes about mishaps and the uncomfortable realities of fieldwork, especially when they involve small furry animals or small not-furry animals (signal crayfish, in this case). The narrative is interspersed with plenty of fascinating facts about water voles. As for signal crayfish, I knew a bit about this issue already, but I hadn't realised the link between them and flooding. All because some men in the 70s wanted to make money out of crayfish aquaculture.

Towards the end, Moorhouse unleashes a devastating critique of governmental failure so far to tackle the biodiversity crisis. He's spent his whole career working on the frontline but has seen more loss than victory - and his pain is palpable.

A book that I truly recommend for any nature-lover.

[Billy Backhouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though on the whole a bit sad, as many of these kinds of books are, there is a humour and a defiance in this one that made it thoroughly enjoyable. Niche, but lovely. Down with mink and signal crayfish!

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just delightful. Relating a concerning story of nature’s decline without being depressing, full of amazing facts about water voles, those cute, fluffy denizens of the river bank, and the other creatures that share their home, while also managing to be killingly funny.

[Jane Wilson-Howarth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written if not a little dispiriting on the future of our rivers. Some of the research he reported is quite dated now, although it is interesting that Moorhouse considers we pretty much have enough information on our native species to know how to conserve them. It is just whether the money can be found - it won't be - to eradicate harmful invasive mink and crayfish.

[Rohase Piercy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book from the library, thinking it was a novel - it isn't, but it's still a brilliant read! Dr Tom Moorhouse is a conservationist with a passion for England's rivers and the creatures that live - or used to live - in or alongside them. In 'Elegy for a River' he narrates in very readable and often highly amusing detail the highs and lows of two of the research projects he's led over the last eleven years - the first to investigate, and try to reverse, the demise of the iconic water vole ('Ratty' from Kenneth Grahame's 'Wind In The Willows'), and the second to do the same for our native white-clawed crayfish.
Both species have been decimated by the introduction of foreign, invasive predators - in the case of the water voles, American Mink, escaping from mink farms where they were introduced and bred for their fur back in the 1920s; in the case of the crayfish, American Signal Crayfish, also brought in to be farmed, being larger and meatier than our native species.
Sadly, in both cases, despite extensive research and efforts at recolonisation, it's proved impossible to reverse the damage - not because we don't know how to, but because the money to fund such a reversal has not been forthcoming, due to neither species being high-profile enough to warrant an investment of millions of pounds.
And yet, as Moorhouse points out, the disappearance of our native river species has had a devastating effect on the environment that if left to themselves they could manage. 'Flooding in the UK costs taxpayers £1.4 billion annually, with a further £1 billion spent on flood-risk management. But ecological restoration could mitigate many of the challenges ... we could put in place physical changes that will restore habitats in our uplands and rivers and provide much-needed flood defences for our beleaguered towns and villages.'
Or, to put it on a global scale (for this is a global problem), 'For about a third of what America spends on carbonated, canned and flavoured water, we can save the natural world and safeguard our lives ... enacting global conservation measures would result in a net gain to the global economy of US$0.23 trillion.'
It's a very sobering thought, and a frustrating one - but in the final section we are reminded that 'we can each achieve much through small, individual actions', and are offered some suggestions as to what those actions could be. 'It's always tempting to feel that we have little individual impact. But the cumulative effect of people taking small actions ... can be vast.'
It's a plea from the heart, and the author's 'last, wild hope.' This beautifully written book will benefit everyone who reads it.

[Duncan Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book fits very nicely into my interests. An academic river ecologist writing about his life and experiences, the species and environments he studies, and the challenges he faced. It was so interesting reading about what it is like doing fieldwork and academia, in an honest and heartfelt way. It was also really interesting actually learning about the species he was working with and their specific ecology and interactions.

Elegy for a River is very factual, but also a joy to read for the writing style. Which, despite dealing with important issues (and Moorhouse doesn't diminish their importance in his style), is fun and readable. There are rarely large stretches of dull descriptions or writings. Moorhouse clearly demonstrates his love for the animals and the world he works in by the way he beautifully writes about them.

This passion is obvious from his descriptions, but also from the intense emotion that he injects into his writing, especially the anguish he feels in his personal lack of quantifiable impact and people in power's lack of action. This comes through particularly in the last chapter, which I found genuinely moving.

I think, because I have a particular academic interest in this field, at times I would have liked Moorhouse to go into slightly more detail or take a more academic approach to explaining his study animals and areas, as he clearly has a lot he could say. Also, occasionally, I would have liked more in-depth thoughts and descriptions about his life in academia at the university and not just doing fieldwork. However, I realize these passages would appeal to a relatively niche audience. I understand, in the name of popular science, Moorhouse wrote how and what he did, and he did that well.

Overall, Elegy for a River is a delightful book that conveys so much feeling but simultaneously is so informative. Moorhouse juggles this well, but it really is an Elegy. A book in which Moorhouse truly shows his love for environments and species that are dying or dead, and there is an element of despair as Moorhouse feels he cannot stop it, no matter how much of his life he dedicates to it. Despite this, he also inspires the reader with his 'wild hope.' His partial optimism in the face of all odds is so very important, or else we and all of nature ('we' and 'nature' maybe should not be separated into individual words like that) are fucked.

[Stephen Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this because the pre-release reviews suggested something like Wind in the Willows meets David Attenborough. However, the author’s water voles do not wear smoking jackets or spend gay days punting on a languid river having adventures with their moley mate and picnics of egg sandwiches. This is a book which makes serious points about ecology and conservation.
The author spent a great deal of time (years) in research fieldwork, mainly on water voles and later on crayfish, and much of the book describes the tribulations of stomping about river banks for weeks on end in all weather. It’s written very lightly, with the author’s brand of humour littered about (often in the copious and, to me, just slightly irritating footnotes). But he does give us the low-down on why we are losing animal species at an alarming rate (American mink, it turns out, in the case of water voles) and what can, and crucially what can’t, be done about it.
Tom Moorhouse is well qualified to write about this, and has plenty of published research science behind him. Here he targets not the politicians or the funders or his fellows, but the you and me of society. Down at layman’s level he tells what needs to be done to save the planet’s wildlife, and crucially at what cost. His numbers are specific, and very big.
It’s interesting to learn some basic facts about fieldwork and conservation, and fun to chortle at the anecdotes, and then to hear the solutions and the author’s hopes for the future.
The trouble is, as with any altruistic ecology and conservation subject, with a population approaching 8 billion and rising fast the planet is simply too full of self-interest to be bothered about the welfare of stuff that doesn’t affect us day to day. Yet. And when it does it will be too late. I fear Tom Moorhouse’s well-stated warnings, and many others like his, will not be enough. God help us. But that’s just me, and I probably won’t be around long enough to witness the catastrophe.
Read his book. It’s good.

[Manpreet Kaur · Rating 5 out of 5]

The writing is witty, super funny, and the humour classic academic humour and I'm so here for it.
I really enjoyed the funny footnotes as well and they add such a character to the book I think.

The writing is refreshing, and the descriptions of the natural spaces magical. It's equal parts science and poetry. I think it's very brave of the author to end on a high with a wild hope. Whilst majority of the pages in the book had me beaming, or feeling bitter-sweet, the ending, the enormity of the task required truly tests any of my personal hopes.

It's a tragedy that social media will have people feel so strongly about shallow fleeting things but here is a tragedy slowly happening every day but there is no sense of a strong sentiment about it. It's not just about the awareness. It's because these are problems that are complex, requiring more thought than a mere tweet could ever inspire. I think it's a blessing that the world has people like Moorhouse who continue to hold a wild hope but honestly I just feel trepidation.

I think this really is a book you want to read! Its description of the natural world will remind you of 'Where the Crawdads Sing', and the mingling of everyday experiences out in the wild with the political realities of the challenge will remind you of 'Landlines'. The science where discussed is fully explained, the book is very accessible, and did I mention funny? These days, rightly so, there is a lot of discussion around cutting GHG emissions. But biodiversity loss is happening hand-in-hand and this is massive. Our literal planet is losing life. And as the author says in the book, a river is not just a body of water. Its identity is tied to all the life it supports. And our rivers are dying. Our planet is dying. I'm finding it very hard to sit still with this feeling but now I'll go bye.

-- copy borrowed from Oak Farm library

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

News of this book had inexplicably escaped me so I was delighted to be sent it as a gift. I enjoyed the whiskers and claws bits more than 'conservation's last wild hope' but that's not surprising. It was a bit like being given the most delicious desserts before the worst sort of 'good for you' main course, in addition to the overview being more well-worn territory than amusing anecdotes about being bitten.

Overall it made for a well balanced book, drawing us in with the trials and tribulations of surveying the cuddly (really, really not) water vole (and thus, perforce, mink), developing our understanding of conservation research further with the signal crayfish (and the impact on native crayfish...which turns out to be about a lot more than a seemingly lost battle to protect the latter) Then looking back on that research from a wider, deeper, more global perspective. He suggests, lightly, a variety of things people can do, although I was surprised he didn't have more to say about dogs (there's just a fleeting reference in the crayfish section) but perhaps he despairs that it is too late and people don't listen anyway.

Crucially it really was very funny, laugh out loud, compelling reading bits out, but also fascinating and increasing my respect for the many skills and creativity of the conservation scientist (and the outsourcing of some difficult stuff). Tom Moorhouse writes really well yet perhaps because he is primarily a conservation scientist avoids some of the more emotionally labile peaks and troughs of the purple nature writer, to what I felt was good effect: there's no sense of being pleased with himself for a well-turned phrase (well turned joke maybe...)

[Joe Downie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love and enjoy this but I found the writing style lacking sparkle, while the humour left me cold. The footnotes* in particular, on almost every page, were rambling and added little extra information or laughs, serving mainly to distract. There was even a footnote to a footnote! Meanwhile, the details of his scientific method fell between two stools; too detailed for the casual reader yet not detailed enough for the academic or scientist.

Ultimately, it's also a rather sad read - Tom cannot hide the frustration and despair of more than a decade of dedicated ecological and scientific effort to try and turn around the fortunes of water voles and white-clawed crayfish ending in under-funded, under-resourced failure. We have the know-how to save species and restore nature, but the decision-makers who hold the purse strings just aren't interested.

The book comes alive, however, in the final chapter, where Tom reflects more generally on attitudes and approaches towards conservation, why we are failing, and how we might turn the ship around. I found this section hugely interesting and helpful to developing my own thinking on the subject.

* It would have got 4 stars were it not for the constant footnotes.

[Henry Rong · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book (largely) about why a creature (water voles!) that has - for thousands of years bustling within Britain's native wildlife - gone missing!

Reading this has made me wish never to be reincarnated into a water vole nor a water vole researcher.

It has however given me an immense respect for the tribulations of fieldwork (and newfound gladness to be doing computational work dry indoors).

The book itself is a real pleasure to read, with generous footnotes and wry humour to illustrate the feisty nature of the voles and the authors' awe and love for nature. It also paints a picture of the sheer scale of ecological destruction that is just happening beneath the surface in our rivers.

Finally, the last chapter (the 'elegy' itself) is a starkly honest stocktake of the impact of the entire field of conservation. It reframes the typical argument (human needs over nature) eloquently into why it's actually a bargain to address nature for human needs.

Would highly recommend this to anyone!

[Stuart Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

"In the last fifty years alone, humanity has extinguished 60 percent of the world's populations of wild vertebrates. Those years quite neatly map on to the period from the inception of modern conservation science to the present. Had we not been working so hard for so long, perhaps far more damage would have occurred. But it is also clear that we have completely failed in our goals. We put our faith in the unspoken bargain that when we knew enough to solve the problem we would, well, get on and solve it. We have only recently realised that such a bargain, being unspoken, was easily disregarded. Even when, twenty years ago, I started working on water voles, relatively few conservation research projects had ever been truly settled. My work came along at just the right time to discover what we can expect when a species is move from the box labelled 'more research needed' to 'sorted, so let's get cracking.' The answer is this: nothing."

[Verity Halliday · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elegy For a River is an enjoyable, entertaining book about conservation field work, dealing with the day-to-day hands-dirty practicalities but also discussing conservation policy and funding issues. I found myself getting more interested in water voles than I had imagined I would be!

There were lots of footnotes and digressions which worked well with the chatty style of writing. I think they'd be fine with a physical edition of the book, but might cause a problem if your ebook reader doesn't format footnotes well.

A recommended read for everyone, unless you really hate footnotes.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for honest feedback.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up from the display table in the nature section in Foyles on a trip to London. In the early nineties Rob Stachan assisted with my MSc Ecology course at Durham university. He was a most wonderfully interesting man and expert ecologist. When I saw that the book was dedicated to him I bought it. The book did not disappoint. It made we want to visit the Bure Marshes and West Sedgemoor nature reserve. The last chapter depressed me, but that’s because it sadly is the truth. I never did manage to work in the field of conservation but still frequent the nature area of all bookshops. This was most certainly a book that I learnt from. Very moving in places. 5 stars.

[Bev Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really thoughtful and thought provoking read. I was fascinated by the fieldwork descriptions and in awe of the sheer determination that went into it.
It was an eye opener regarding the way invasive species get into the UK and the damage they do.

I’m left pondering how we can easily donate to projects supporting « cute » species like hedgehogs and polar bears but not that interested in creatures like the water voles or the white clawed crayfish. And that’s despite their importance to our environment.

I enjoyed Dr Moorhouse’s writing.. his humour and honesty transformed a potentially dry subject into a highly readable and enjoyable book.

[Robert Bowes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This needs to be read by everyone. To take a small snippet of the UK countryside, rivers, and hone in on two animals, for a good chunk of the book, sounds like a dreadful experience. However, Tom's writing style and his enthusiasm makes this a fantastic read. To finish it off with how we can help as readers to improve the countryside and to elaborate on how a small link in the ecological chain we live in influences our daily lives and even put relative costs to their impact too is mind blowing.

Even if you know nothing about ecology this book is still for you. Get it read!

[Hazel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moorhouse is a great communicator. Reading this is akin to sitting in the pub with someone incredibly knowledgable and enthusiastic where you hang on their every word and, before you know it, the bell goes for last orders.

I enjoyed this adventure into the world of the river and - as an amateur nature enthusiast rather than an ecologist - I learned lots about voles, crayfish, conservation work, reintroduction programmes and invasive species.

[Christian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book, about the author’s dream and how he has gone about trying to achieve it- his successes and failures, and for an animal that few of us have probably ever seen. It was highly informative but also written in such a vivid way that you could see, hear and taste the rain on those sodden days he endured and could picture the riverbank so vividly. A really enjoyable read about water voles and the quest to save them.

[Michael Bowen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic read. Accessible, engaging, packed full of facts, gives a clear glimpse into the life of a conservation fieldwork researcher, and the secrete world of the water vole. Also challenging, thought provoking and sad. We have ruined so much of our natural world. A dose of possible hope at the end...will we take that hope and make it happen?

[Joanna Bagniewska · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful, wonderful book - it's funny (I've snorted with laughter multiple times, to the amusement of strangers on the bus), it's sweet, raw and emotional, and, on top of it, so informative. I'm a big fan of the witty and amusing footnotes that appear on every other page.
A must read for anyone considering a career in conservation.

[Deborah Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely, fascinating read. I've learnt so much about water voles and their environment, plus some heartbreaking truths. I recommend that everyone should read this if they have any interest in native species and the environment. It should also be on the school curriculum so that our future generations learn from previous generations mistakes

[Bel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never seen a water vole in my life but Moorhouse's writing almost makes it possible to imagine them darting around the bedroom floor. Full of anecdotes, field stories, and furred friends. An enjoyable read.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first an enjoyable insight into field research which sadly became a bit bogged down in asides. This disrupted the flow and towards then end I needed motivation to finish. I was expecting a wider reflection on more aquatic based species and riverbank dwellers.