Moose, caribou and bears are often the focus of conversations about wildlife. Guys with dogs talk of bird-hunting and grouse numbers. Trappers are concerned about marten and lynx populations. But one of Alaska's most important animals may be the least noticed — the widespread vole.
From far out on the Aleutian chain to Southeast Alaska, the tundra vole goes about daily activities, out of sight for most of its life. In the summer, he scurries about under the cover of grasses and sedges. Tunnels can be seen between tundra humps in many places, but few notice. In winter, tundra and root voles live under a cover of snow. Only the occasional set of tracks in new-fallen snow offers a glimpse of their daily activities.
The red-backed vole is more numerous and more visible. This is the short-tailed Alaska "mouse" that's in our basements and garages busily storing dog food in our boots. The larger tundra vole — some reach 8 inches long, weighing 3 ounces — rarely comes inside.
To many of us, little critters that scurry through the corner of our vision are mice. Vermin. Dirty. Get rid of them. It is true that mice and voles can carry tularemia, however, I could not find any instance where that disease was transmitted to humans in Alaska by a vole.
Avid breeders
Root voles' importance as a food source for wildlife far outweighs any potential harm. Arctic fox depend on voles. Red fox, wolverine, and weasels use them as a major food source. In summer, birds of the tundra eat them too. With all that attention, it's surprising a few live to be a year old.
But voles breed like crazy. They can have three or four litters of six to eight kits each summer. Babies are born hairless, but are weaned and on their own in less than three weeks. Females are ready to breed at 30 days.
Interestingly, the tundra vole has developed a safeguard against inbreeding. The males aren't mature for almost eight weeks, insuring siblings will rarely breed. About a third more females than males are born; a good deal for a species whose destiny is to be food.
Tundra voles are not only subsistence for wildlife. During population peaks, they can substantially alter their habitat as they prepare for winter by storing vast amounts of roots and grass seeds. Their preferred habitat, swampy lowlands, can nearly be cut clean. Some Alaskans used to commonly raid vole caches for their stores of roots. Licorice root is a favorite.
Feed caches are easily found by following visible tunnels that run through the tundra. Some are as large as a gallon, shared by many voles. Voles have elaborate communications, both scent and vocal. I was able to watch a video done underground at a nest site and the kits acted like little puppies. They played constantly and squeaked at each other non-stop. The mother interacted with the kits and the male did too — though to a lesser extent.
Seeing these small mammals up close is important. They're not just household pests to be eliminated. They're a living, interactive part of our world. They have their own important niche and should be respected as an more important cog in the wild world outside our human walls.
John Schandelmeier is a lifelong Alaskan who lives with his family near Paxson. He is a Bristol Bay commercial fisherman and two-time winner of the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race.