Working with bats

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By Alex Morss, Press & Communications Officer

Have you ever thought about working or volunteering with bats or helping them in other ways?

These intriguing and legally protected mammals are among the species on the frontline of UK conservation’s big priorities. There are several ways you can develop a career or natural history interest in this field. So here’s a bit about bats, why they matter and examples of how you can work professionally or volunteer in bat conservation.

Bats are fascinating animals – the world’s only true flying mammals. There are more than 1,400 species globally, making up one fifth of all mammal species and one quarter of British mammals.

Sadly, four of Britain’s 17 breeding bat species are among the 11 native mammals classified on the IUCN National Red List as being at imminent risk of extinction. These include the greater mouse-eared bat, grey long-eared bat, serotine and barbastelle. A further two British bat species are classified as near threatened: Leisler’s and Nathusius’ pipistrelles.

This predicament follows our bats having suffered decades of significant declines during the last century, but there is a little good news - some British bat species are showing slow signs of recovery at the national scale which we think is largely thanks to legal protection and other strong, broad conservation actions including efforts by bat groups made up of volunteers, other bat enthusiasts and professionals across private, public and charity sectors.

Other British bat species show a mixed picture or knowledge gaps or regional declines which need more investigation. Among these are some of our more cryptic and specialist bat species, some of which rely on specific habitats which are in decline such as ancient woodland. Some of these species have unclear status because they are difficult to record and monitor, so the Bat Conservation Trust [BCT] is working with scientists and technology innovators on new ways to do this so we can figure out how they are faring. There are also regions of the UK where less data are collected and more citizen scientists are needed. 

What we do know about British bats’ predicament is largely thanks to BCT’s National Bat Monitoring Programme [NBMP] which involves thousands of citizen science volunteers collecting and submitting their records. 

The NBMP monitors 11 of Britain’s 17 breeding bat species and has found that many have stable or recovering populations when compared to numbers 20 years ago but they are still a long way from full recovery. There are too little data on some at-risk bat species plus some regional concerns even among species that appear stable.

We also know that better awareness and actions by farmers, gardeners, church communities, developers, planners, lighting designers and land managers can benefit bats and other wildlife.

So why do bats matter ?

Aside from their intrinsic value, bats play important roles in ecosystems across many habitats on six continents around the world. Hundreds of tropical plants depend partly or wholly on certain bat species to pollinate their flowers or spread their seeds. These include mango, banana, durian, guava and agave (used to make tequila). So just like birds and other seed dispersers, some bats act as natural forest restorers.

And like 70% of the world’s bats, all British species feed on invertebrates and in doing so play an important role in regulating insect populations. They are invaluable in helping farmers and gardeners with controlling what’s eating the plants - saving billions of dollars and pounds each year by reducing plant damage and the need to use harmful pesticides.

Also, in Britain, some bats serve as useful indicator species, as their populations signal change in the wider health of the environment and the ecosystems they live in. Bats suffer when there are declines in insects or when habitats deteriorate. They are also slow to recover from population crashes, with females usually only having one pup per year.

Threats to bats

Just like a lot of wildlife, loss of habitat is one of the biggest drivers of bat declines, both directly and indirectly, such as loss of food, loss of commuting areas and roosts; alongside light pollution, chemical pollution, road traffic impacts, wind turbines, climate change, diseases, cat attacks, hunting and persecution. Some agriculture practices are detrimental to bats, such as increased pesticide use which means bats go hungry. The loss of connecting hedgerows and trees between habitats removes features for roosting, hunting, travel and navigation.

Having more bat supporters, researchers and citizen scientists, and greater public awareness will help minimise or remove such threats to bat conservation. The Bat Conservation Trust is a small charity but a leading voice in this area, working across sectors to engage more audiences, raise awareness, reduce threats and improve outlooks where bats are most at risk.

BCT publishes a wide range of free resources and runs dozens of events, training and talks every year, helps to steer the licensing process for career bat workers, helps people to learn how to reduce impacts on bats and aid their recovery, and offers support to those wishing to work or volunteer with bats.

To learn more, join BCT or follow us on social media and browse the website which has lots of free resources. The charity publishes leading professional guidance for bat workers, and also supports and works with ecology consultants, developers, lighting designers, planners, politicians, farmers, storytellers, the media, families, bat groups, bat carers, farmers and church communities, the public, schools, researchers, and anyone navigating the planning and development process via the Biodiversity in Planning portal.

BCT also provides a Bat Helpline which fields around 15,000 enquiries per year, and works with dozens of bat groups and bat carers who rescue and rehabilitate injured bats. 

We need more science research, strongly enforced wildlife laws, good land management and education, effective political engagement and good science communicators, to ensure bats thrive alongside people as a vital part of our natural heritage.

Bat Conservation Trust was our first ever featured charity back in 2016

Read their articles at https://www.countryside-jobs.com/charities/previous-charity

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