BatChat
Taking you into the field to discover the world of bat conservation. BatChat is for anyone who loves bats or has an interest in the conservation of these fascinating mammals. Ecologist and Bat Conservation Trust Trustee Steve Roe takes you on-location, talking to the experts as well as local heroes to bring you the latest from the world of bats.
Series 6 is being released right now with episodes released every other Wednesday. In this series we travel to Northumberland to visit the UK's largest-known winter hibernation roost of pipistrelle bats, to Pembrokeshire to talk to the woman who discovered the first barbastelle bats in Wales and to the creator of a groundbreaking bat detector that's making waves in the bat conservation community.
Get in touch with feedback and ideas for stories you’d like to hear: comms@bats.org.uk
Bats are magical but misunderstood mammals. At the Bat Conservation Trust we have a vision of a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together.
BatChat
Where Do Pipistrelles Go? A Winter Mystery
Got questions, thoughts, or curious bat queries? Text us—we’d love to hear from you!
S6E61 Recorded in the winter of 2024, in this episode we travel to the Northumberland coastline to a National Trust property called Seaton Delaval Hall. We’re there because this property is home to the UK’s largest-known pipistrelle bat hibernation roost. For many years we haven’t really known where pipistrelle bats go to hibernate. Traditional hibernation surveys in underground structures rarely turn up pipistrelles and when they do they’re in very small numbers. Our guest this week, Tina Wiffen, discovered this roost shortly after the National Trust took over the care of Seaton Delaval in 2009 and since then has been doing some detective work to help us understand where we might need to go looking ourselves.
- Tina's articles in British Island Bats are on pages 20 and 30 of volume four.
- Original news article from the BCT website when a large winter count occured.
- Fancy taking part in a hibernation survey? Find your local bat group here.
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Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via comms@bats.org.uk
Bats are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!
