Do you suspect bats?
Bats are incredibly important elements of any ecosystem. Having bats is an indicator of a healthy environment and their presence should be celebrated.
Pest control
Bats feed on insects, reducing their populations and thus controlling pests that damage crops and forests.
Pollination
Bats help pollinate plants, including some commercially important crops like agave, banana, and mango.
Seed dispersal
Bats distribute plant seeds through their droppings, helping to regenerate forests and other habitats.
Biodiversity
Bats provide food for other species, such as birds of prey, and support overall biodiversity by maintaining the balance of ecosystems.
Indicator species
Bats are indicators of environmental health and their presence or absence can indicate the health of an ecosystem.
A brief guide on how to manage suspected bats
A Preliminary Roost Assessment
A preliminary roost assessment (PRA), commonly referred to as a bat risk assessment, is frequently required as part of the permitting process for new construction. This study may be conducted separately or as part of an initial ecological assessment. This bat study establishes the need for more studies and indicates the chance that bats may be impacted by your development.
Dawn/Dusk Bat Counts
Where there is a chance that bats will be present or will be harmed by a development, bat surveys are required. Reports and mitigation plans are necessary for development projects that can damage bats and are informed by bat surveys.
Bat Surveys for Professional Ecologists – Good Practice Guidelines (Collins, J. (Ed) 2016), a publication by the Bat Conservation Trust, informs the methodology used by a Natural England licenced bat surveyor while conducting surveys.
A site visit is required for a preliminary roost assessment in order to search for bat signs and evaluate the possibility of bat roosting. This bat survey also includes archival and recent desk research on bat activity at or around your site. The results of this bat survey, which will be delivered to you as a preliminary roost assessment report, will indicate the necessity for additional bat surveys.
Bat surveys start from just £295.
To arrange a bat survey call us on 01917 160275 or email surveys@tyne-ecology.co.uk.
