

BatChat
Bat Conservation Trust
Taking you into the field to discover the world of bat conservation. BatChat is for anyone who loves bats or has an interest in the conservation of these fascinating mammals. Ecologist and Bat Conservation Trust Trustee Steve Roe takes you on-location, talking to the experts as well as local heroes to bring you the latest from the world of bats. Series 7 is coming on Wednesday 5th November with episodes released every other Wednesday. In this upcoming series we travel to the Yorkshire Dales to visit the Hoffman limekiln, to Pembrokeshire to visit the infamous greater horseshoe bat roost at Stackpole and to a disused water mill that is now home to one of the most important bat colonies in Wales. Get in touch with feedback and ideas for stories you’d like to hear: comms@bats.org.uk Bats are magical but misunderstood mammals. At the Bat Conservation Trust we have a vision of a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 25, 2020 • 45min
Dr Winifred Frick - Bat Conservation International
S2E16 Winifred is the Chief Scientist at Bat Conservation International as well as an associate research professor in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Santa Cruz.In this episode, Steve finds out about the discovery Winifred made about the ecology of Pallid bats whilst undertaking her PhD out in the deserts and chats to her about her work as a key scientist in the efforts to research the effects of White-Nose Syndrome, informing long-term management actions.The two WNS websites Winifred mentions:https://www.batcon.org/our-work/research-and-scalable-solutions/white-nose-syndrome/https://www.whitenosesyndrome.org/Follow Dr Frick on twitter: @FrickWinifredJoin the conversation on social media using #BatChat: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BatConservationTrust/Twitter: https://twitter.com/_BCT_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batconservationtrust/For more bat news, head to our website https://www.bats.org.uk/Producer: Steve Roe @SteveRoeBatManCover Art: Rachel Hudson http://rachelhudsonillustration.com/infoSupport the showPlease leave us a review or star rating if your podcast app allows it because it helps us to reach a wider audience so that we can spread the word about how great bats are. How to write a podcast review (and why you should).Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via comms@bats.org.ukBats are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!

Nov 11, 2020 • 34min
Gardening for bats with Joel Ashton
S2E13 Remember seeing bats over your garden years ago and suddenly realised that they've vanished over time? Wildlife garden landscaper Joel Ashton reveals how you can help attract bats to your greenspace by greening up a fence and planting certain species to increase insect diversity which in turn will provide your local bats with a buffet! At the Bat Conservation Trust we have a vision of a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together and Joel is helping achieve that vision, one garden at a time. So tune in and discover how to get bats reappearing against the evening skies of your home.Joel's book 'Wild Your Garden': https://www.hazelwoodlandscapes.com/ is available from your local bookseller.Follow Joel on social media: @_joelashton and @Butterfly_brosVideos available on his YouTube siteJoin the conversation on social media using #BatChat: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BatConservationTrust/Twitter: https://twitter.com/_BCT_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batconservationtrust/For more bat news, head to our website https://www.bats.org.uk/Producer: Steve Roe @SteveRoeBatManCover Art: Rachel Hudson http://rachelhudsonillustration.com/infoSupport the showPlease leave us a review or star rating if your podcast app allows it because it helps us to reach a wider audience so that we can spread the word about how great bats are. How to write a podcast review (and why you should).Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via comms@bats.org.ukBats are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!

Oct 28, 2020 • 41min
Chris Packham
S2E14 A camping trip in the New Forest was the first sighting of bats that broadcaster, naturalist and writer Chris Packham had. He became the president of the Bat Conservation Trust in 2006 and in this episode recorded during the 2020 lockdown, Steve Roe asks Chris what it was about the Trust that made him want to become President. Chris tells us about the time he had serotine bats flying around his house whilst watching a European cup final and reveals some of the bat encounters he's had during his career as a television presenter. As Halloween is nearly upon us we’re challenging people to take part in the great British #BatBake: https://www.bats.org.uk/news/2020/10/join-in-this-halloween-with-the-great-british-batbake To discover more of the bat groups around the UK, head to the bat group pages on the Bat Conservation Trust website: https://www.bats.org.uk/support-bats/bat-groupsJoin the conversation on social media using #BatChat: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BatConservationTrust/Twitter: https://twitter.com/_BCT_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batconservationtrust/For more bat news, head to our website https://www.bats.org.uk/Producer: Steve Roe @SteveRoeBatManCover Art: Rachel Hudson http://rachelhudsonillustration.com/infoSupport the showPlease leave us a review or star rating if your podcast app allows it because it helps us to reach a wider audience so that we can spread the word about how great bats are. How to write a podcast review (and why you should).Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via comms@bats.org.ukBats are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!

May 7, 2020 • 36min
Bats & Coronavirus
S1E13 In this bonus episode recorded during the UK lockdown, we have two guests on the show. Tom August is a scientist based at the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and Lisa Worledge is Head of Conservation Services at the Bat Conservation Trust. They talk to Steve about the interest that bats are currently getting in the press around the origins of the current COVID-19 pandemic, what bats can teach us about future pandemics and how some bat species have been practicing social distancing far longer than we have!Resources mentioned in the episode include:FAQs around Bats and Coronaviruses: https://www.bats.org.uk/about-bats/bats-and-disease/covid-19-and-bats Good Practice Guidelines for Bat Rehabilitators: https://cdn.bats.org.uk/pdf/Resources/Bat-Groups/COVID-19-GPG-for-Bat-Rehabilitators_01May2020.pdf?mtime=20200501123411&focal=noneThe Sunrise/Sunset Survey: https://www.bats.org.uk/our-work/national-bat-monitoring-programme How to build a bat box: https://www.bats.org.uk/our-work/buildings-planning-and-development/bat-boxesHow to find your local bat group: https://www.bats.org.uk/support-bats/bat-groupsBats are magical but misunderstood mammals. At the Bat Conservation Trust we have a vision of a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. We know that conservation action to protect and conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats and their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever. To donate please go to: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!If you've got a great bat project or story to tell that you think other listeners would love to hear, drop us an email at comms@bats.org.ukMake sure you're subscribed so you never miss an episode and let us know if you enjoyed the episode on social media using #BatChat: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BatConservationTrust/Twitter: https://twitter.com/_BCT_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batconservationtrust/For more bat news, head to our website https://www.bats.org.uk/Support the showPlease leave us a review or star rating if your podcast app allows it because it helps us to reach a wider audience so that we can spread the word about how great bats are. How to write a podcast review (and why you should).Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via comms@bats.org.ukBats are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!

Apr 1, 2020 • 26min
Bat Care
S1E12 This week we have two guests on the show. Hannah Van Hesteren is one of the Helpline Managers at the Bat Conservation Trust. She talks to Steve about the vital work the Helpline does each summer when it takes hundreds of calls each day from members of the public who have found an injured or grounded bat.Gail Armstrong was the recipient of the Pete Guest Award in 2019 for her outstanding practical contribution to bat conservation. Over the last 25 years, Gail estimates she's cared for 800 bats to date in North Lancashire. She discusses what it is about bat care that's so important to their conservation.To support the Helpline, head to their JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/BatHelplineNeedsYouBats are magical but misunderstood mammals. At the Bat Conservation Trust we have a vision of a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. We know that conservation action to protect and conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats and their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever. To donate please go to: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!If you've got a great bat project or story to tell that you think other listeners would love to hear, drop us an email at comms@bats.org.ukMake sure you're subscribed so you never miss an episode and let us know if you enjoyed the episode on social media using #BatChat: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BatConservationTrust/Twitter: https://twitter.com/_BCT_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batconservationtrust/For more bat news, head to our website https://www.bats.org.uk/Producer: Steve Roe @SteveRoeBatManCover Art: Rachel Hudson http://rachelhudsonillustration.com/infoSupport the showPlease leave us a review or star rating if your podcast app allows it because it helps us to reach a wider audience so that we can spread the word about how great bats are. How to write a podcast review (and why you should).Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via comms@bats.org.ukBats are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!

Mar 18, 2020 • 21min
Bats and Trees with Jim Mullholland
S1E11 Despite a number of our bats using trees as roost sites, we know surprisingly little about how bats use trees. In this episode Steve sits down with veteran tree expert Jim Mullholland from the Arboricultural Association and discusses what we still don't know about the ecology of bats and trees. Jim also touches on a project he's been working on recently using trail cameras as a surveillance technique to help understand this subject.Jim has a YouTube channel with a number of videos of bats inside tree roosts. You can view that channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcxgmE0Z3NAW3n1yzTPohpA To discover more of the bat groups around the UK, head to the bat group pages on the Bat Conservation Trust website: https://www.bats.org.uk/support-bats/bat-groups.Join the conversation on social media using #BatChat:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BatConservationTrust/Twitter: https://twitter.com/_BCT_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batconservationtrust/For more bat news, head to our website https://www.bats.org.uk/Producer: Steve Roe @SteveRoeBatManCover Art: Rachel Hudson http://rachelhudsonillustration.com/infoSupport the showPlease leave us a review or star rating if your podcast app allows it because it helps us to reach a wider audience so that we can spread the word about how great bats are. How to write a podcast review (and why you should).Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via comms@bats.org.ukBats are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!

Mar 4, 2020 • 25min
Life as an Island Bat Group
S1E10 The British Isles have a large number of islands around its coasts and some of these have bat groups. In this episode Steve discusses the challenges of being an isolated voluntary group with Carol Williams who is the secretary of the Isles of Scilly Bat Group and with Ani Binet who until recently was a resident on Jersey in the Channel Islands and an active member of the Jersey Bat Group. There is also some news hot off the press from the Isle of Man Bat Group. You can read more about the exciting news at our press release here: https://www.bats.org.uk/news/2020/02/lesser-horseshoe-bat-found-in-the-isle-of-manTo discover more of the bat groups around the UK, head to the bat group pages on the Bat Conservation Trust website: https://www.bats.org.uk/support-bats/bat-groups. Their Facebook page is here: https://www.facebook.com/ManxBatGroup/Join the conversation on social media using #BatChat: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BatConservationTrust/Twitter: https://twitter.com/_BCT_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batconservationtrust/For more bat news, head to our website https://www.bats.org.uk/Producer: Steve Roe @SteveRoeBatManCover Art: Rachel Hudson http://rachelhudsonillustration.com/infoSupport the showPlease leave us a review or star rating if your podcast app allows it because it helps us to reach a wider audience so that we can spread the word about how great bats are. How to write a podcast review (and why you should).Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via comms@bats.org.ukBats are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!

Feb 19, 2020 • 17min
A Churnet Chiroptera Conundrum
S1E9 Steve heads to the Churnet valley in north Staffordshire to join Staffordshire Bat Group members Helen Ball and David Nixon for the day. Helen explains how a colony of Brandt's bats in one of their bat box schemes (started by the Vincent Wildlife Trust) have become one of the main study subjects in their small Myotis bat project which is taking place across the Churnet valley. In the evening, Dave explains the aims of the advanced bat survey techniques they're using out in the field to help with the study and discusses an interesting finding they've made where there appears to be no overlap between any Brandt's and Natterer's colonies within the valley woodlands.If you're interested in finding out more about the bat work taking place in the Midlands region, the biennial Midlands Regional Bat Conference is taking place on Saturday 28th March 2020, more info and booking here: https://www.bats.org.uk/our-work/conferences-symposia/english-regional-bat-conferences/midlands-bat-conferenceTake a look at the Staffordshire Bat Group website: https://www.staffsbats.co.uk/To find YOUR local bat group: https://www.bats.org.uk/support-bats/bat-groupsMake sure you're subscribed so you never miss an episode and let us know if you enjoyed the episode on social media using #BatChat: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BatConservationTrust/Twitter: https://twitter.com/_BCT_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batconservationtrust/For more bat news, head to our website https://www.bats.org.uk/Producer: Steve Roe @SteveRoeBatManCover Art: Rachel Hudson http://rachelhudsonillustration.com/infoSupport the showPlease leave us a review or star rating if your podcast app allows it because it helps us to reach a wider audience so that we can spread the word about how great bats are. How to write a podcast review (and why you should).Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via comms@bats.org.ukBats are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!

Feb 5, 2020 • 13min
James Shipman
S1E8 James has been involved in bat conservation since 2010 and has been involved in a variety of projects in that time including setting up Gib-Bats (the Gibraltar Bats Project) in 2013. In 2016 he was awarded the Bat Conservation Trust's Pete Guest Award for making an outstanding practical contribution to bat conservation. In this episode Steve joins James at a bat box check event just outside of Greenham Common in Newbury Berkshire before driving over to Bath to undertake some evening bat work! Take a look at the Gib-Bats website: https://www.gibmuseum.gi/our-work/gib-batsTo find YOUR local bat group: https://www.bats.org.uk/support-bats/bat-groupsMake sure you're subscribed so you never miss an episode and let us know if you enjoyed the episode on social media using #BatChat: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BatConservationTrust/Twitter: https://twitter.com/_BCT_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batconservationtrust/For more bat news, head to our website https://www.bats.org.uk/Producer: Steve Roe @SteveRoeBatManCover Art: Rachel Hudson http://rachelhudsonillustration.com/infoSupport the showPlease leave us a review or star rating if your podcast app allows it because it helps us to reach a wider audience so that we can spread the word about how great bats are. How to write a podcast review (and why you should).Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via comms@bats.org.ukBats are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!

Jan 22, 2020 • 24min
Natural History Museum - Roberto Portela Miguez
S1E7 This is the second installment of a two-part special recorded at the Natural History Museum, South Kensington, London.This time Steve Roe talks with Roberto Portela Miguez who is the senior curator in charge of mammals at the Museum.Roberto tells the tale of how he and colleagues discovered that a bat preserved in a jar of alcohol which had sat on a shelf in the collections for 30 years was actually a new species to science. He also discusses what role the vast Chiroptera collection at the Museum still has for conservation in today's world.You can read the original Natural History Museum article here: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2015/october/new-bat-species-found-in-museum-collection.html Guardian Article: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/oct/31/new-bat-species-rises-from-vaults-of-londons-natural-history-museumMake sure you're subscribed so you never miss an episode and let us know if you enjoyed the episode on social media using #BatChat:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BatConservationTrust/Twitter: https://twitter.com/_BCT_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batconservationtrust/For more bat news, head to our website https://www.bats.org.uk/Producer: Steve Roe @SteveRoeBatManCover Art: Rachel Hudson http://rachelhudsonillustration.com/infoSupport the showPlease leave us a review or star rating if your podcast app allows it because it helps us to reach a wider audience so that we can spread the word about how great bats are. How to write a podcast review (and why you should).Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via comms@bats.org.ukBats are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!


