Discover Devon’s secretive night-time predator

A Devon-based project is aiming to shine a light on the night time lives of one of the county’s rarest nocturnal animals: the greater horseshoe bat.

During September a host of activities and events will help the public take a closer look at the mysterious lives of greater horseshoe bats.

This is the idea behind the Devon Greater Horseshoe Bat Project’s first Bat Festival to be held in September. Events across the county will help people of all ages discover more about this secretive night-time predator and take part in its long term conservation. The festival is to be mix of walks, talks, surveys, and even a night-time bat-themed swim, all aimed at getting people interested in the lives of their local bats.

A full list of festival events and locations include:

September 3
Kingsbridge Show, Kingsbridge
Saving Wildflowers practical conservation eventEast Devon

September 5-26
Bat Beacon exhibition, Dartmouth

September 5
Research Survey Bat Blitz, Buckfastleigh

September 8
Bat Trail walk, Tamar Valley

September 9
Evening bat walk, Sidmouth Donkey Sanctuary
Starry Night Bat Swim, Buckfastleigh

September 13
Evening bat walk, Braunton

September 14
Bat Beacon launch with walk, Sidmouth Donkey Sanctuary

September 17
Bioblitz, Croyde
Evening bat walk, Croyde

September 22
Evening bat walk, Braunton

September 23
Research Survey Bat Blitz, Berry Head
Bat talk, Teignmouth
Bat talk, Dartmouth

The population of greater horseshoe bats has declined dramatically in the UK during the last century, mainly due to the expanding built environment and agricultural change. This trend has been mirrored across northern Europe, but Devon remains a stronghold for the large bat.

Now a new five-year project is now working to halt these declines. The Devon Greater Horseshoe Bat Project is working with many local communities in Devon to secure the future of the species locally. The partnership project, involving 19 organisations led by Devon Wildlife Trust, is supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Ed Parr Ferris, the Devon Greater Horseshoe Bat Project’s manager said: “Greater horseshoe bats are fascinating creatures. They are built to hunt and armed with sharp teeth which can dismember their prey very quickly. But don’t worry, moths, craneflies and beetles are on this predator’s menu, not people. In fact seeing one should be a cause for real celebration – they are rare and elusive creatures.

“As with many predators, greater horseshoe numbers have shrunk sharply over recent decades, but where they survive it means the landscape is in good shape and able to support them. Having greater horseshoes in Devon is something we should all be proud of. That’s why we’re holding a festival. In part it’s an expression of local pride that these bats are still here.  I’d urge people to attend one of events during this festival and find out what they can do to help keep this amazing species alive and well locally.”

Amongst the festival’s many activities Ed and his team will be asking people to take part in surveys which will search for the bats as they fly around the Devon landscape. Volunteers will use special bat-detecting equipment issued by the project.

Ed Parr Ferris said: “There are many gaps in our understanding of greater horseshoe bats, including simply where they are – being night-time flyers they are not easy to see! That’s why we need the public’s help with our surveys.”

The project is encouraging anyone in Devon to borrow a bat detector from local host centres and help to collect precious information on the bats. To take part in a survey, book a detector and find out more about the project people are being urged to get in touch either at one of the bat festival’s events or via the project’s website.

The festival’s full programme of events, together with booking details, is available from the project’s website www.devonbatproject.org