| The Truth About Bats
| Bats are regularly seen in and around Sunderland throughout the warmer months
of the year. Active from dusk, they forage for flying insects and may travel up
to 20km from their roost sites where they ‘nest’ and hibernate.
Currently there are 16 species of bat breeding in Britain, with other species
occurring as vagrants.
There are 11 species of bat known to occur in County Durham, of which
eight are known to breed.
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Common Pipistrelle |
Breeding bat species in Durham:-
| Common Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) – Status (UK) not threatened
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Whiskered bat (Myotis mystacinus) – Status (UK) vulnerable
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| Soprano Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pygmaeus) - Status (UK) not threatened
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Brandt’s bat (Myotis brandtii) – Status (UK) vulnerable
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Noctule bat (Nyctalus noctula) –
Status (UK) vulnerable
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Natterer’s bat (Myotis natteri) – Status (UK) vulnerable
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Daubenton’s bat (Myotis daubentonii) –
Status (UK) not
threatened
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Common long-eared bat
(Plecotus auritus) – Status (UK) not
threatened
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Other species recorded:-
Nathsius' Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus nathusii) - feeding sites but not known to roost -
Status (UK) rare
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Serotine bat (Eptesicus serotinus) - bat detector records only-
Status (UK) vulnerable |
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All bat species
have shown a dramatic decline in numbers in the last fifty years. The common pipistrelle declined by 70% between 1978 and 1993 (National Bat
Colony Survey) and this picture seems to be mirrored throughout the bat
population.
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Important Habitats for Bats
- Woodlands including riparian woodlands
- Wet woodland
- Wetlands
- Boundary habitats e.g. hedgerows, walls
- Linear features e.g. disused railway lines
- Parks and gardens
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- Buildings and other structures including bridges and tunnels
- Old meadows
- Churches and churchyards
- Caves and mines
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Bats and their roost sites are now fully protected under the Wildlife and
Countryside Act 1981 (amended 1985). It is therefore an offence to disturb,
injure or handle bats or damage their roost sites. As a protected species any
work/operation that effects bats or their habitat should be reported to and
approved by English Nature.
For centuries bats have taken to living in houses and other buildings. This
has inevitably brought them into conflict with people through misunderstanding
and mismanagement. However, this situation is improving due to the realisation
that bats do not cause any
damage to property and problems of noise and smell from roosts are very uncommon. |
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Common Long-eared bat
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If you need more information on bats or find a sick or injured bat (do not
touch it), call the UK bat helpline on 0845 1300228, or find your nearest bat
worker on the internet at  www.bats.org.uk.What can you do to help?
- Take care when repairing or renovating
buildings - especially roofs and walls
- Take care when felling or pruning
trees
- Have a bat survey done before starting
such work
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- Report any bat sightings to local
Countryside Officers or Wildlife Trust
- Put up bat boxes
- Construct new buildings in a bat
friendly way
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