Narrow-headed Vole

About this species

Diet

Grasses, legumes and other plant material

Habitat

Grassland, semi-desert, alpine meadow and open forest

The narrow-headed vole is a small, slim-headed vole whose skull proportions distinguish it from related species. Summer fur is pale yellowish-buff above, lighter on the flanks and yellowish-grey below; in winter the back becomes a brighter reddish ochre. The short tail may be uniformly buff or darker above than below, and the hands and feet are brownish white. Its narrow head is associated with moving through tight spaces in frozen soil and within its shallow tunnel system. (Wikipedia, narrow-headed vole account)

This vole occurs across northern and central Asia, including separate Mongolian steppe populations. It uses grassy plains, semi-desert, open forest, alpine meadow and water meadow, reaching elevations near 4,000 metres. Complex shallow burrows contain several entrances and nest chambers. Activity peaks around dusk and at night, though animals also forage by day. They eat grasses, legumes and other plant material above and below ground. Breeding takes place in warmer months, with about five litters averaging eight young reported annually. (Wikipedia, narrow-headed vole account)

Description: Wildlife of Mongolia guide, Wildlife of Everywhere (wildlifeofeverywhere.com); general species information paraphrased from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)