Guardian News
Bats are back
9:00am Sunday 19th February 2012
RARE bats, not seen in Cheshire for almost 50 years, have been discovered at Beeston Castle.
The lesser horseshoe bats, which get their name from their horseshoe-shaped nose, were last recorded in Cheshire at the same site in 1948.
The bats were found during a routine hibernation check by volunteers from the Cheshire Bat Group.
Like several other species the bats have suffered in the past through use of certain pesticides and fragmentation of their favoured habitats has also led to a reduction in numbers.
Today, lesser horseshoe bats are restricted to Wales, the West Midlands and the South West. The most recent record from the North West was in East Lancashire, where the bats were discovered in 2009.
Geed Ryan, one of Cheshire Bat Group’s longest members, said: “We have always known that lesser horseshoe bats were across the border in Wales and that this area of Cheshire has suitable habitat and feeding grounds for them – so we had hoped to find them one day.
“Lesser horseshoe bats do not use boxes and these individuals were hanging freely in the caves, so although only the size of a plum, they were quite easy to spot.”
The group say they will continue to monitor the bats to see where they are moving to and from. English Heritage has also confirmed the site at Beeston Castle will continue to be managed for the benefit of the bats.
Sarah Bennett, of Cheshire Wildlife Trust, said: “It’s often easy with familiar wildlife like otters and birds to understand when numbers are in decline, but with such a challenging group of species like bats it takes time and dedication to monitor their numbers.”
All bats are protected by law, and anyone inspecting areas for bat activity or handling bats must hold an official licence.
To learn more about bats visit: bats.org.uk