BAT E-BULLETIN

Issue 10: January 2008

The Bat e-Bulletin is a Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) initiative aimed at providing a regular and up-to-date source of information on a wide range of bat-related topics. Short news items in this bulletin are linked to more detailed articles in PDF format on the BCT website. Future issues will include something for everyone: research, mitigation, bat group news, bat care, rabies, wind farms, licensing, training, biodiversity information and links to other sites.

These are just a few ideas - we welcome thoughts and suggestions on future articles, and most importantly, contributions!

To subscribe or unsubscribe to this free email service visit http://www.bats.org.uk/sendmail_list.asp


What are bats doing in January?

Bats are hibernating to save energy over the winter, when few insects are around. They may roost on their own or in small groups, often in cool, quiet places like disused buildings or old trees.


In this issue:

* BCT Review summary
* NEW Bats and Lighting in the UK document
* Results of SNH 2007 research on bats
* A new species of Barbastella is described
* Finding secrets of bats' flight could change military aircraft
* SE England Regional Bat Conference
* 2008 BCT Appeal for Out of Hours Helpline Volunteers
* SPONSORED ADVERT: Canvas Holidays


BCT Review summary
The BCT review, which is managed and run by external consultants Action Planning, aims to develop more effective relationships and communication processes between BCT, bat groups and people involved in bat conservation, in order to deliver better bat conservation.

Over coming weeks, Action Planning will gather information and views through focus groups, telephone interviews and an on-line survey. Each will be conducted independently of BCT, with the collated results fed back to the steering group.

For details of the consultation process and information about how you can get involved, please visit
http://www.bats.org.uk/documents/BCTreviewsummaryfinal_jan08.pdf


NEW Bats and Lighting in the UK document
The Bats and Lighting in the UK document has been produced by BCT in partnership with the Institution of Lighting Engineers. The document is aimed at lighting engineers, lighting designers, planning officers, developers, bat workers and anyone specifying lighting. It is intended to raise awareness of the impacts of lighting on bats and mitigation is suggested for various scenarios. It also offers an explanation of the facts associated with the lighting industry for the benefit of bat workers.

The working document is now available on the BCT website at:
http://www.bats.org.uk/news_events/documents/BATSANDLIGHTINGINTHEUK-finalversion.pdf


Results of SNH 2007 research on bats
In December, SNH announced the results of its annual programme of testing bats for European Bat Lyssavirus (EBLV). The press release can be found at http://www.snh.org.uk/press/detail.asp?id=1831


A new species of Barbastella is described
A new species of Barbastella, originally discovered in Beijing in 2001, has been described. The paper by Jin-Shuo Zhang et al. was published in the Journal of Mammology in December. The abstract can be found at
http://www.bioone.org/perlserv/?request=get-abstract&doi=10.1644/07-MAMM-A-114R2.1.


Finding secrets of bats' flight could change military aircraft
A team of engineers and biologists at Brown University in Boston has discovered that bats may hold the secret to more efficient flying machines. Researchers have found that bats can carry up to 50 percent of their weight and execute airborne maneuvers that would make a bird or plane fall out of the sky. The US Air Force will invest $6 million in the University’s project over the next five years in the hope of using this research to design future military aircraft.
http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2007/07/06/finding_secrets_of_bats_flight_could_change_military_aircraft/

South East England Regional Bat Conference, Saturday 19 April 2008
The south east region is planning a conference in the spring, with guest speakers, local input, workshops and discussions. It will be held at the University of Greenwich, Medway Campus, Chatham, Kent
The expected cost is £25.00. There will be a special emphasis on serotine bats, a species which appears to be in decline in the southeast.

To register an interest, please send your name, organisation/bat group, address (including postcode), email, telephone, to:
shirley.t@noctule.info or Conference Organiser, 5 Manor Road, Tankerton, Whitstable, Kent CT5 2JT
(preferably by email) to ensure you receive notification as soon as booking is open.


2008 BCT Appeal for Out of Hours Helpline Volunteers
When bats are most active between May and September, BCT runs an out of hours helpline, where volunteers answer emergency calls from the public in the evenings and at weekends. Volunteers receive training in answering calls before the season begins, as well as full support from BCT staff throughout the season.

The project has been running successfully for 4 years and the time has come to start recruiting volunteers to take part in the 2008 season. Here’s how it all works:
• At the end of the working day, a member of staff will divert the BCT phones to the home telephone of the volunteer on duty that evening.
• Callers during the evening hear an automated message, explaining that an out of hours service is available for emergencies, and giving the caller the option of either leaving a message (for non-urgent enquiries) or being put through to a volunteer.
• Common calls involve grounded or injured bats found by the public, bats trapped in people’s houses, newly-discovered roosts and planning and development queries.
• The following morning a member of staff will divert the phone back to the BCT office or during weekends, to the next volunteer on the rota.
• We aim to provide out of office hours cover, but we don’t expect our volunteers to be available through out the night. Typically, our volunteers take 5 calls over an evening, between 5.30 and 11pm.

The out of hours helpline can sometimes be a challenge, but the rewards are also great. It would not be possible to run such a service without the volunteers and their help is greatly appreciated. The out of hours report for the 2007 will be available on the website on the 25th January.

To sign up for this year’s project or if you would like more information, please contact Jen on 0845 1300 228, or email jpope@bats.org.uk.


SPONSORED ADVERT: Canvas Holidays
Work overseas next summer and see new wildlife, including bats! Canvas Holidays offers wildlife based activity programmes on 7 campsites in France, Spain and Switzerland. The most popular activity session in the Wild & Active programme is the 'Canvas Holidays Bat Walk'. We are looking for people who are enthusiastic about bats to pass on their knowledge to our customers.

Canvas Holidays have Wild and Active Courier vacancies available for the 2008 holiday season. You'll be based on a campsite in an area of natural beauty with exciting wildlife in the local area. You will need to be available to start 20th April and work until September or October.
Your job is to plan, promote and carry out a weekly programme of activities aimed at the whole family. You'll include wildlife walks, bat walks, organise trips to outdoor pursuits (e.g. horse riding and watersports), and run children's activities with an environmental theme. It is your job to ensure the whole family have the opportunity to see and enjoy the best wildlife species around and scenery your area has to offer.

Wild & Active Couriers are paid £555 per month, on site accommodation is also offered by the company. Please call the Recruitment team for more information and to request an application pack on 01383 629012. Applicants can also apply on line at http://www.canvasholidaysrecruitment.com/

Find out more about the job by reading the Wild & Active job profile on the environment job website, please scroll down until you see the relevant profile - http://www.environmentjob.co.uk/index.cfm?page=profiles


Bat e-Bulletin is compiled by Laura Dunne at the Bat Conservation Trust.

Bat Conservation Trust, 15 Cloisters House, 8 Battersea Park Road, London SW8 4BG Bat Helpline: 0845 1300 228 (local rate)
E-mail: enquiries@bats.org.uk
Website: http://www.bats.org.uk/

The next issue of Bat e-Bulletin will be circulated in March 2008. Any contributions, comments and feedback should be sent to BCT by 10th March at the latest.

To subscribe or unsubscribe to this email visit http://www.bats.org.uk/sendmail_list.asp


The Bat Conservation Trust. Registered Charity No. 1012361. Company Limited by Guarantee, Registered in England No: 2712823. Registered office: 15 Cloisters House, 8 Battersea Park Road, London SW8 4BG. Vat Reg No: 877158773.