Volunteers wanted for Bat survey in Dundee

 

Dundee City bat group are looking for local people to take part in a bat
survey.  The survey continues from work started in 2007 and aims to
cover the whole city (one kilometer square at a time).  If this is
achieved it will make Dundee unique in being the only city in Scotland
(and probably in the UK) to have had such full survey coverage.  

 

Volunteers need no special knowledge or skills but an interest in nature
and confidence about being out as late as 11pm help.  Free training will
be given and bat detectors will be loaned out.  Anyone interested in
taking part can find out more on the Dundee City Bat Groups website 
Dundee-bats.com or can simply turn
up to the training night on Monday 12th May at the Rangers Centre in
Camperdown Park at 7:30pm.

 

Last years volunteers particularly enjoyed being out of doors, finding
out more about local wildlife and the best thrill of all was hearing
bats on bat detectors.

 

Data from the survey will be forwarded to the Local records Centre where
it is available to planners, developers and others with an interest in
bats.  In the long term the aims of the survey are to identify and
safeguard the city's bat "hotspots" and to improve wildlife habitat in
other areas, to make it more attractive both to people and bats.

 

Anne Youngman, Scottish Bat Officer for the Bat Conservation Trust said
"Taking part in the survey and gathering information on where bats are
in the city is an important first step in protecting our bats."

David Lampard a volunteer said "It's amazing being out with a detector,
there is nothing to be seen and then the clicks start and you know that
there are bats out there" 

 

Notes for editors

 

Photographers and/or journalists are welcome to turn up on Monday.

 

Photographs are attached which show;

1.    The preparation of bat packs containing equipment, maps and
survey instructions
2.    Volunteers about to start a car survey
3.    Volunteers with bat detectors

 

Bat Facts

*    Five species of bat live in the Dundee area, two types of
pipistrelle, Brown longeared bats, Daubenton's and Natterer's bats.
*    All bat species resident in the UK are legally protected.
*    For more information on bats and on bat surveys see the Bat
Conservation trust website www.bats.org.uk
and click on Help Us Count Bats.
*    Last summer 2007 was particularly poor for bats with many young
bats being abandoned by their starving mothers. 

 

ANNE YOUNGMAN

SCOTTISH BAT OFFICER

Bat Car Survey