Good signs for bat conservation?

The longest running monitoring programme for mammals in the UK, the National Bat Monitoring Programme, shows populations trends are stable or increasing for seven bat species.

Over 2000 volunteers take part in bat surveys helping the Bat Conservation Trust build a picture of how bat populations are changing.

Dr Kate Barlow, NBMP Development Manager explains "Bat populations have suffered severe declines last century and these positive trends could be an early indication that bat conservation is having an impact, but there is a long way to go to make up for losses."

However this is not the whole story, of the 11 bat species monitored, the population trends of four species is still unclear. For Natterer's bat, greater horsehoe bat, and common and soprano pipistrelles the results are less clear with more information needed to undertand how these bat populations are faring.

See the full results

Volunteer for the National Bat Monitoring