NBMP Annual Report

The National Bat Monitoring Programme (NBMP) is an annual series of bat surveys undertaken by thousands of dedicated volunteers, which allow us to monitor changes in British bat populations. The data we collect are used by the Government and conservation organisations to monitor the health of our environment, inform policy and improve the conservation of bats.

This report provides updated population trends for 11 of Great Britain's 17 breeding bat species, derived from data collected up to and including summer 2022.

Trends are provided at GB level and also at UK and country level where sufficient data are available. Updated trends are calculated for 11 species in England, four species in Scotland, eight species in Wales, one species in Northern Ireland and one species at UK level.

The next set of bat population trends, incorporating data collected up to and including summer 2023, are due to be published in May 2024.

Official Statistics: These statistics have been produced to the high professional standards set out in the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

This report was compiled by Katherine Boughey, Philip Briggs, Rosie McCallum and Parvathy Venugopal. Statistical analysis was completed by Steve Langton.

The report should be cited as: Bat Conservation Trust, 2023. The National Bat Monitoring Programme Annual Report 2022. Bat Conservation Trust, London. ____________________________________________________________________________________________

Data products

Annual Report data products

Two accompanying comma-delimited files are available: the indices and confidence intervals used to produce the species population trends; and a list of roost codes with species, max count ever recorded, county, region and country.

Download the NBMP Annual Report 2022 data products

GB semi-natural habitat bat indicator

The comma-delimited file contains the indices and confidence intervals used to produce a bat indicator for semi-natural habitat across GB.

Download the GB semi-natural habitat indicator data product

These data downloads are provided under an Open Government Licence (OGL), which allows free and flexible use and reuse of the data with few conditions. You must abide by these licence conditions. More information is available here.

The Open Government Licence requires users to acknowledge the dataset using the attribution statement provided. The attribution statement for this dataset is:

Contains National Bat Monitoring Programme (NBMP) data copyright and database right Bat Conservation Trust and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, 2020

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The National Bat Monitoring Programme is run by the Bat Conservation Trust, in partnership with the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, and supported and steered by Natural England, Natural Resources Wales, NatureScot and Northern Ireland Environment Agency. The NBMP is indebted to all volunteers who contribute data to the programme.

Bat Conservation Ireland contributes Northern Ireland bat records collated by the Irish Bat Monitoring Programme which is funded by the National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland Environment Agency. Data are shared on the NBN Atlas and GBIF.

NBMP Annual Report
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