by Reeves Peterson

Created on: July 17, 2008   Last Updated: February 02, 2010

The decline of the British bat population in recent years is another symptom of the general decline of Brtiish nature as a whole. So what has happened to Britain's bats?

The exact level of bat decline in the U.K is not known but in a survey conducted by the London Bat Group between 1978 and 1993 they estimated that the pipistrelle (which covers three of the 17 species) bat population had decreased by at least 70%. The reasons for this decline are a follows

Loss of habitat

Bat's natural habitat is dense woodland and hedgerow. They also like areas near still water such as ponds. As concentrated areas of these types have fallen across much of Britain in number so has the bat population. It has been estimated (using data from the Common Bird Census) that between 1968-1991 woodland decreased by 62% and farmland by 70% in the U.K.

Loss of food

Modern faring methods, the use of pesticides in particular have had a devastating effect on the number of insects in Britain. As all British bats are insectivores it has had a strong knock on effect on bat numbers.

Loss of roosting sites

Modern building techniques and building design have left no room for bats to roost and building work such as renovations can disturb and upset the balance of their natural behaviour. Hence churches and their belfries are still prime roosting sites for bats.

Light pollution
Bats are not blind. Their eyes have evolved to work in very low light conditions. Well lit urban areas and buildings are too dazzling for the bats eyes to function efficiently and under those conditions it becomes difficult hunt insects.

These reasons working in combination and isolation have lead to the steady decline of the bat population. In 1991 the Mouse Eared Bat was declared extinct. Today conservationists and bat enthusiasts are looking at different ways to help the bat's plight.

Measures To Halt Decline of Bats

Protection by law.

All species of bat in Britain are protected by law. These are.

Deliberately capture, injure or kill a bat
Intentionally or recklessly disturrb a bat in its roost or deliberately disturb a group of bats

Damage or destroy a bat roost
Possess or advertise/sell a bat (dead or alive) or any part of a bat
Intentionally or recklessly obstruct access to a bat roost

Moreover, DEFRA or the Department for Environment, Food and Affairs now uses bat numbers as an indicator of biodiversity.

Bat Conversation Trust

Bat Conservation Trust was set up in 1990 to help focus the concerns of many smaller bat societies.

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