The population of Greater Horseshoe Bats has declined by over 90% in the UK during the last century, with Devon now a stronghold for the species in the South West.
Led by Devon Wildlife Trust and supported by the National Lottery, as well as other funders, The Devon Greater Horseshoe Bat Project has chosen to partner with The Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth to provide a local information hub, known as a ‘Bat Beacon’, where people can find out more about the project.
Ruth Angell, Wildlife and Conservation Co-ordinator at The Donkey Sanctuary, said:
The Donkey Sanctuary is working with Devon Greater Horseshoe Bat Project to hold a hedgelaying event on Wednesday 10 February in the Events Barn at The Sanctuary’s Sidmouth site from 10am till 4pm
Devon is home to one of the UK’s rarest bats, the greater horseshoe bat, and this fascinating species needs our help to increase its population to secure its future. Like much of our wildlife, it is under pressure due to habitat loss, so one of the ways we can help is to make sure that it has what it needs to carry out its nightly activity of hunting for insect prey.
A project which is working to secure a future for one of Europe’s most endangered bat species has been awarded £707,000 of National Lottery funding.
The Devon Greater Horseshoe Bat Project, which has received the grant via the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), will now work for the next five years across the county to secure the long term future of one of the rarest animals in Northern Europe. The project is being led by the conservation charity Devon Wildlife Trust in a partnership involving 18 other organisations.
The project’s manager is Ed Parr Ferris: "We’re delighted to...
