Page 11 - Wildlife News April 2017
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Species spotlight
Bechstein’s bat
The Bechstein’s bat is one of Britain’s rarest bats. It 2017 WHEN TO LOOK From May to September nursery colonies of
relies on established native woodland for both roosting breeding bats roost in holes and crevices in mature trees and
and foraging, making it particularly vulnerable to feed nearby at night.
habitat removal. The bats have a wingspan of up to WHERE TO LOOK In Finemere Wood and the wider Bernwood
30cm and feed on a range of insects and spiders. Exact Forest in Bucks. They have a very quiet echolocation and feed high
numbers are hard to monitor because the bats roost in the tree canopy of dense mature woodland, only occasionally
high up in the canopy, deep within tree cavities such as swooping nearer the ground, making a chance encounter unlikely.
holes made by woodpeckers. Watch a video of Bechstein’s bats on the Bernwood Forest Bechstein’s
Project website: bechsteins.blogspot.co.uk Find out more about
CONSERVATION STATUS Near Threatened (IUCN Red List) bats on BBOWT walks and talks: bbowt.org.uk/whats-on
(DIETMAR NILL/NATUREPL.COM)
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