What is this rodent called?

Voles are small rodents that are relatives of lemmings and hamsters, but with a stouter body; a shorter, hairy tail; a slightly rounder head; smaller ears and eyes; and differently formed molars. Voles outwardly resemble several other small animals. Moles, gophers, mice, rats, and even shrews have similar characteristics and behavioral tendencies.

Voles thrive on small plants like shrews though they eat dead animals like mice and rats. In gardens, voles have been observed to gnaw on roots and crowns causing damage to plants such as parsley and celery. Voles are not considered to be physically dangerous to people; but, they are dangerous in the sense that they can spread disease through their urine and feces.

Voles live in a wide variety of habitats at elevations ranging from sea level to high mountains. In North America, they range from Alaska southward to the mountains of Mexico and Guatemala. In Eurasia, they can be found in the British Isles and across Europe and Asia to southern China, Taiwan, and Japan.