"There are fantastic people out there giving up their time to look after bats. I’m so grateful."
– a bat finder who contacted the National Bat Helpline
Every year, at least 1,500 grounded or injured bats in the UK owe their survival to trained, vaccinated independent volunteers, who look after them until they're well enough to be released into the wild. For each of those rescued bats, at least one member of the public has a chance to learn about these undervalued and misunderstood animals and why they matter.
Every day, BCT's National Bat Helpline receives calls from people who have found bats. Some have been caught by cats, some are pups that have been separated from their mothers, others are simply stranded and exhausted. We don't run a bat rescue service of our own, but thanks to the independent volunteers who make up our UK Bat Care Network, we're able to put most callers in touch with a helper who has specialised knowledge and experience.
Bat care volunteers work on their own or as part of a bat group, rather than volunteering directly for BCT. They're most often trained on an informal apprenticeship-like basis by other experienced bat carers in their area.
By choosing to be listed on BCT's UK Bat Care Network, volunteers help ensure that their details are given out to members of the public who find bats near them. We also put bat care volunteers in touch with each other for mutual help and support, and provide regular updates, valuable information and a listening ear!