This week it’s Halloween and London will become a little bit witch, vampire, ghost and bat themed. But what are bats really up to at this time of year in London? And why should they be seen as brilliant rather than spooky?
Over 18 and a half thousand bat observations are recorded within the GiGL database for Greater London. But if you see a vampire bat this Halloween…it must be vampire (or a small child in fancy dress), as the unfairly maligned vampire bat is found only in South and Central America! Bats are intelligent, social mammals, the only mammal to truly fly, and those in the UK are all insectivorous, hunting their insect prey at night using echolocation. The well-being of bat populations mirrors the health of the environment and the conservation of habitats for bats also benefits a range of other wildlife (1).
The most likely bat you will see in London is one of the pipistrelle species. Over 50% of the GiGL bat records are one of the three ‘pip’ species. Read more about London’s most frequently observed bat species (pipistrelle, noctule, Dorbenton’s, Natterer’s, serotine and brown long-eared bats) on the London Bat Group’s website.
In horror movies, bats are often depicted as active (and strangely audible!) regardless of time of year. But in reality, during late autumn London’s lovely bats are now preparing to hibernate and some may be beginning to undergo longer and longer periods of torpor before they retire to their hibernation roosts for the winter.
Bats are an enduring gothic symbol, but they are sadly species under threat. Complex causes include habitat fragmentation and declines in insect availability driven by changing farming and management practices. Several species of bats are seriously threatened and even the more common species have suffered severe declines in numbers; UK pipistrelle numbers were estimated to have declined by 70% during the 15 years between 1978 and and 1993 (1).
As a consequence, all bats and their roosts are protected by UK law. Bat records within the GiGL database are flagged with their designation status and we have introduced a ‘bat’ label so they can be searched for easily. Legislation dictates that any structures or place which a bats use for shelter or protection are protected from damage or destruction whether occupied or not. This legislation has been incorporated into planning policies and planning authorities have a legal obligation to consider whether bats are likely to be affected by a proposed development (BCT on bats and planning). Professional assessment of possible impacts to bats often include an appraisal of bat records to support field survey. Read more about GiGL data access for partners and ecological consultants.
If you’re lucky enough to see a real bat while you’re out trick-or-treating this Halloween, let us know!
(1) Habitat management for bats: A guide for land managers, land owners and their advisors, JNCC, 2001
October 2014