March 2025
2024 figures on bat incident reports to police.
The WCP confirmed in the December 2024 news page (archive below) we had oversight and/or provided support on 91 police incidents. We further stated the National Wildlife Crime Unit will combine BCT data with their own to produce a more accurate final figure.
We can confirm there were 157 incidents reported to the Police in 2024 relating to bats.
This figure only gives a flavour of the extent of police incidents recorded against bats and their breeding sites, as not all UK police services provided their numbers.
This data does not take into account Breach of Licence incidents recorded by our Statutory Nature Conservation bodies.
The Bat Crime Priority Delivery Group, is working towards improving the accurate capturing of police incident data on bat crimes for 2025.
Currently wildlife crime is not recordable/notifiable, if it was, this would allow the Police and Government to know the true extent, and impacts crime is having on our UK species and habitat. Allowing already established resources to focus in on these areas of work more effectively, in an environment of competing demands.
*Graph courtesy of NWCU; Green bars represent combined BCT/NWCU data.
Fruit bats and CITES
Black flying foxes. Courtesy of Charley Bird.
The WCP has received several enquires recently relating to the possession of fruit bats here in the UK.
One such report indicated concern for the welfare of an animal being held in an inappropriate cage.
Whilst possession of a UK species of wild bat is an offence (with some exemptions), fruit bats are native to tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Eurasia, Australia, and many Pacific Islands and fall outside of such legislation.
Despite this, several species in the genus Pteropus (flying foxes) are listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
The purpose of CITES is to regulate international trade and protect species from over-exploitation, with many included in Appendix I and or II of particular concern, and therefore of interest to enforcement and regulatory services.
Appendix I lists species that are the most endangered, such as the Mariana fruit bat.
Trade in CITES-listed species requires permits or certificates to ensure the animal is legal, traceable, and the trade therefore sustainable.
Investigations into such matters can involve Local Planning authorities, the Police, and species specialists such as a Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) Wildlife Inspector.
In law there is a requirement for a person in possession of a CITES listed species to provide proof of lawful import or acquisition.
All species under Appendix I will require an article ten certificate(A10) for commercial activity (Sale, etc), those under Appendix II may require proof of legal import or acquisition (bred within the UK) but not an A10.
Persons in possession of a fruit bat in the UK subject of investigation will be asked to provide such documentation, which may also include purchase receipt, address of seller/breeder, species ID as well as any veterinarian treatments.
Like many animals, bats can carry human transferable viruses.
Failure to provide such documentation may require authorities to have the animal identified as to whether it is listed under Appendix I to ensure the animal was not part of an illegal trade.
The animal’s housing will also be inspected to assess suitability for the species.
Housing and upkeep of a captive fruit bat will cost more than the animal itself each year!
Whilst possessing certain species of fruit bat in the UK may not be an offence, there are other offences that will be considered, including animal welfare offences such as unnecessary suffering, under the five freedoms:
- Freedom from hunger and thirst: access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour.
- Freedom from discomfort: providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.
- Freedom from pain, injury or disease: prevention through rapid diagnosis and treatment.
- Freedom to express normal behaviour: providing sufficient space, proper facilities, and company of the animal’s own kind.
- Freedom from fear and distress: ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.
Failure to evidence lawful possession and failure to meet an animal’s needs, will result in potential prosecution and seizure of the animal.
Environmental damage regulations police template launched
The purpose of the environmental damage regulations (EDR) is to legally compel individuals or businesses responsible for causing environmental damage, to actively remediate any harm done.
They apply, where damage to land, water or biodiversity is extremely severe; in the case of biodiversity, damage must be severe enough to prevent certain ‘protected species’ such as bats and their ‘natural habitats’ from achieving or maintaining their UK favourable conservation status or adversely affect the integrity of a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
This is a little known piece of legislation, which can be used in parallel with an investigation under other laws such as the conservation of habitats and species regulations into the loss of a breeding site resting place.
This is particularly useful for the police; as a result working with the Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies (SNCBs) Natural England, Natural Resources Wales, and Nature Scotland the WCP and members of the Bat Crime PDG developed a police template for reporting such offences to a SNCB responsible for establishing if the conservation status of a site or species has been impacted, and will decide on necessary measures in response.
The consequences of non-compliance with such measures could allow an SNCB to issue Stop notices, warnings, requirements to remediate and or action a prosecution.
For all, the emphasis should be on proactively reporting, and then for those responsible, putting in place appropriate prevention measures, so that imminent threats and damage do not arise, fundamentally that is the purpose of the Environmental Damage Regulations.
The police pilot will run for one year, with the objective of producing a final template suitable for all police services, agencies and NGO's with an interest in conservation of species and habitat.
