A DEVON-based project dedicated to conserving one of the county’s most endangered animals is now appealing for volunteers to help in its vital work.
The survey allows volunteers to borrow a detector from one of 20 monitoring centres dotted around the county, to place in a selected 1km grid square for three nights. All the calls recorded will be used to increase knowledge of how bats are using the Devon landscape and what can be done to help them.
Anyone can get involved in the survey — no experience is needed and full instructions are supplied.
The project is especially keen for anyone living in or around the Tamar Valley to get involved. There is a monitoring centre at the Tamar Valley centre in Drakewalls this summer and people in the local area are being encouraged to select a grid square and book a detector.
Ruth Testa, who manages the project, said: ‘Knowledge of how bats are using our landscape is key to protecting them. This survey allows us to gain information across a huge part of the county and will let you find out what bats are using in your local area.’
The Devon Greater Horseshoe Bat Project aims to secure the future of the greater horseshoe bat in Devon; the northern European stronghold of this highly-threatened mammal. To do this, the project is working with landowners and communities to raise awareness and to improve habitats, as well as running research programmes like the Devon Bat Survey to increase understanding of bat species.