I think I have just captured the most incredible footage I have ever captured! I have been experimenting with a new mammal box, with an HD Vivotek camera and lights inside. This box is not live streaming yet, but it is constantly monitored by i-catcher software, which means it saves footage whenever movement is detected. I regularly check my cameras and you can imagine I had a double take, when I looked at the image within this mammal box and there was a vole with absolutely TINY babies! I was astounded! I ran the footage back from earlier in the day and, over about half an hour, this female vole gave birth to 4 young right in front on my HD camera! I have the whole process recorded (and backed up!)
This is a wild vole, giving birth in a lit box with no bedding or nest of any kind. I am unsure as to why she chose to give birth here… but happy she did as I now have, what I believe to be, pretty unique footage. She stayed in there cleaning and suckling these tiny babies, that can only be a cm in length, before another vole, a male, came in to feed. She valiantly fought him, trying to keep him away from her young. Eventually he left and she then proceeded to move the babies, one-by-one, out of the box. I presume she has another burrow nearby.
What I have been left with is truly amazing video footage and I still have not had time to watch the whole process. I am sure there will be lots of mammal experts out there who will love to see this!
I have captured a few screen captures to show a few scenes from this truly incredible insight into the secret lives of the mammals who live in our gardens….
