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BBC News
15-05-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Guernsey volunteers 'save 45 years of bat research'
A survey of Bailiwick bat species would have taken more than 45 years to complete without the help of hundreds of local volunteers, according to the States. The now completed Bailiwick Bat Survey was a volunteer-led initiative organised by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), the States of Guernsey and Bailiwick La Sociétés and wildlife 2021 and 2024, 420 volunteers collected more than 16 million bat sound recordings, which included six bat species never previously recorded in the Henney, the States' senior natural environment officer, said the survey would have taken one researcher decades to complete and would have cost up to £2m. Volunteers who signed up to the survey were able to borrow sound recording equipment, which was installed in areas across the Bailiwick for up to seven recordings were uploaded to the BTO's Acoustic Pipeline for analysis, providing initial results within hours."This survey has changed and broadened our understanding of bats across the Bailiwick of Guernsey," said Ms Henney."This has all been possible thanks to keen volunteers getting stuck in, increasing community awareness of nature, as intended through Guernsey's Strategy for Nature."She added: "It would've taken one researcher over 45 years to gather this amount of data, potentially costing up to £2m, which serves to highlight the value of our community's efforts in gathering this insightful data." Volunteers conducted 9,426 nights of recording at 2,364 locations, collecting more than 16 million triggered sound recordings. Four million bat identifications were confirmed, including the presence of 14 bat species, six of which were never previously recorded in the of the six newly recorded species, serotine, Leisler's bat, common noctule and parti-coloured bat, are rare visitors to the the lesser horseshoe bat and whiskered or Brandt's bat appeared to be rare residents, according to the survey study also found that underground tunnels from the Nazi German occupation were important roosting and hibernation sites for several of the rarer species of bats. BTO and the States of Guernsey worked in partnership with La Société Guernesiaise, Alderney WIldlife Trust and La Société Sercquaise on the Allez, project coordinator of the Bailiwick Bat Survey said: "The survey highlights the importance of citizen science in large-scale biodiversity monitoring and engaging the community in nature conservation."
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Cross-border bid to create red squirrel strongholds
A cross-border conservation project to create red squirrel strongholds has been awarded nearly £5m of funding. Wildlife trusts from across the north of England are teaming up with organisations in the south of Scotland for a five-year programme of restoring habitats and controlling grey squirrels. The five-year plan will concentrate on fertility control of greys, with a contraceptive being introduced into the population. Natural predators of greys, such as pine martens, will also be encouraged into new areas, while restoration of red squirrels habitats will also take place. Alongside these initiatives, there will be a major push for communities, businesses and other organisations to get involved in saving the reds. Dr Karen Blackport, from Selkirk-based Bright Green Nature, said: "There are lots of new, innovative threads for helping red squirrels being introduced in this programme." Surveys have shown that about 75% of the UK's 160,000 red squirrels are to be found in Scotland. Numbers are continuing to decline as non-native grey squirrels, which were first introduced to country estates from North America in the late 1800s, drive them out of habitats. Greys also carry the squirrelpox virus, which is deadly to their red cousins. The National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) has provided £4.86m for the five-year Red Squirrel Recovery Programme. About 50 voluntary conservation organisations have been involved in a 12-month development phase of the project, where a conservation plan was drawn up. The Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Partnership and Bright Green Nature will now team up with wildlife trusts in Northumberland, Cumbria, Lancashire and Merseyside for the next five-year phas. Dr Blackport added: "All of the work that has been done to date by so many organisations has been instrumental in forming the work that we are taking forward. "What is different this time is that it will be cross-border for the first time, and there will be an even greater emphasis on community engagement. "We want to get many more people involved in helping this iconic species." Listen to news for the Scottish Borders on BBC Sounds More stories from South Scotland Mike Pratt, chief executive of Northumberland Wildlife Trust, said: "We are all absolutely delighted to have been awarded funding from NLHF to ensure red squirrel survival as we truly believe this project will make a sustainable long-term contribution to preventing the extinction of red squirrels in England and southern Scotland. "I'd like to say a massive thank you to all the community groups and volunteers who really worked and supported us over the past 12 months and helped turn our conservation dream into a reality." Greys invade England's red squirrel strongholds Disease that kills red squirrels moves north
