Hertfordshire fundraiser to help rare barbastelle and other bat habitats

The barbastelle is protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

A wildlife charity is hoping to raise nearly £14,000 to find out more about the rare barbastelles bat species.

The Hertfordshire and Middlesex Wildlife Trust found the area's first barbastelle maternity roost near Bishop's Stortford in 2012, having previously thought they were extinct.

The trust wants to locate more bat roosts and provide information to landowners to help protect habitats.

It is thought there are as few as 5,000 barbastelles UK-wide, the trust said.

Following the discovery of the first barbastelle colony in Hertfordshire, tracking techniques led to the discovery of two further maternity roost sites.

'Woodland management'

One was found on the Ashridge Estate, near Berkhamsted in 2018 and the other at St Paul's Walden, about five miles to the south of Hitchin, in 2019.

The trust has launched a fundraising initiative from the end of November to support all bat species and their habitats, as well as the barbastelle.

Chloë Edwards, director of nature recovery at Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust, said: "By learning more about barbastelle bats and discovering further maternity sites across the region, we can provide advice on woodland management and wider landscape management to landholders, thus protecting their interests."