Assistant Ecologist Sophie Duncan based in our Exeter office has just returned from a privately funded bat research trip to the Greek Island of Lemnos. This was the first licenced research based on bats conducted on the island.

Days were spent exploring and trekking to potential roost and trapping sites, armed with torches, a bat processing kit, a lot of enthusiasm, and a multitude of spare batteries. These sites included tunnels, historic sites, mines and quarries, derelict residential and commercial properties, caves, and waterbodies.

A number of these expeditions turned up evidence of bats including staining, droppings and the bats themselves. Overall, the presence of at least 11 species was confirmed on the island, 6 species of which are found within the UK, including the common pipistrelle, greater and lesser horseshoe, greater mouse-eared, serotine, and grey long-eared.

Sophie says “The research trip was an amazing experience from which I learnt a great deal that can be applied to bat work within the UK and my role within FPCR.”

Many of our team are licenced bat specialists, so if you would like any information on bats and how we can help your project, please do not hesitate to contact us.