Numbers of the British vole - which inspired Ratty's character inthe children's classic TheWindintheWillows - have plunged from seven million to less than a million in a decade.
She says the defining characterisation of the animals inthe 20th Century was framed by Kenneth Graham's classic TheWindintheWillows with its gruff, wise, brave Badger.
His other production credits include TV film TheWindintheWillows, which was voiced by the likes of Vanessa Redgrave, Michael Gambon, Michael Palin and Alan Bennett.