Western heather vole

Western heather vole
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Cricetidae
Subfamily:	Arvicolinae
Genus:	Phenacomys
Species:	P. intermedius
Binomial name
Phenacomys intermedius (Merriam, 1889)

The western heather vole (Phenacomys intermedius) is a small vole found in western North America. Until recently, the eastern heather vole, (Phenacomys ungava), was considered to be a subspecies.

These animals are similar in appearance to the meadow vole. They have short ears and a short thin tail which is paler underneath. Their long soft fur is brownish with silver grey underparts. They are 14 cm long with a 3.5 cm tail and weigh about 40 g.

They are found in alpine meadows, open shrubby areas, dry forests with shrubs below to provide cover and tundra regions, usually near water, in British Columbia, the Yukon and the western United States. In summer, they live in burrows and, in winter, they tunnel under the snow. They store food for later use year-round.

They feed on plant leaves and berries in summer and plant bark and buds in winter, also seeds and fungi. Predators include owls, hawks and carnivorous mammals.

The female vole has 2 or 3 litters of 2 to 9 young in a nest made from grasses.

They are active year-round, and are crepuscular.

The population of this animal has been reduced in some parts of its range because of clearcutting of forests.

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