Hibernation Sites

 

 

 

 

 

Bat hibernation sites are protected by law and may only be visited in the presence of a bat worker licensed by Natural England. We are allowed to make a maximum of three visits per year, and to minimise disturbance numbers are limited. These trips are therefore available only to bat group members.

 

The Bedfordshire Bat Group surveys 16 hibernaculum sites each Winter, in December, January and February. The sites include private houses, cellars, icehouses and tunnels. In Winter 2007 we added a seventeenth site ,008and have another new site to check in Winter 2008

The data is reported each year in the Annual Report.

The dates for the hibernaculum surveys are:-

 

 

If you want to book a place contact Bob Cornes. His details are in the current issue of the newsletter or contact him via our e mail address. For insurance purposes you must be a member of a bat group.

Please note that, for Health and Safety reasons, this survey is not suitable for children.

In December 2006 Natural England gave us a grant to do some restoration work on some of our hibernation sites.

In 2007, we have improved facilities by adding new bat boxes in i some of the Whipsnade hibernacula and in three other sites. More improvements are planned once the bats have come out of hibernation.

 

Species encountered last year:

Barbastelles,
Brown long eared bats
Daubenton's
Natterer's
Soprano Pipistrelles

Click here to check out some Photogallery pages which relate to hibernaculum sites.

 

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