Bat concerns

Tuesday, 31 July 2012

The Sussex Wildlife Trust is concerned about the number of bats being discovered in distress.

Many bats are starving having been badly affected by the mild winter and then unable to hunt for enough insect prey during the past few months due to the wet weather - insects don’t fly when it rains.

The Sussex Wildlife Trust is working in partnership with the Sussex Bat Group to raise awareness of the problems facing bats at the moment and it is important to make sure anyone finding a bat in distress knows what to do and who to contact.

Amanda Millar, chair of the Sussex Bat Group said, ‘It is important people don’t try to pick up bats  with bare hands but use a soft cloth or gloves to put them in a box before contacting us as soon as possible.

Mrs Millar usually receives 40-50 bats at her bat hospital in Hurstpierpoint during the year but says that during July alone she has had 35 injured or starving bats brought to her, mostly youngsters.  She continued, ‘If you see a bat during the day hanging from a wall or lying on the ground the chances are it is injured or exhausted through lack of food and needs feeding up before it can be returned to the wild.

‘If bats enter hibernation without enough fat reserves they may not survive the winter so it is important we do everything we can to help them.’

If you find a bat that needs help please visit the Sussex Bat Group website www.sussexbatgroup.org.uk to find your nearest bat carer or ring Amanda Millar 01273 833258.

For all other wildlife enquiries ring the Sussex Wildlife Trust information hotline WildCall 01273 494777.