£20k awarded for bat species study

Wednesday 28 December 2022

A Jersey conservation firm has been awarded £20,000 to fund research into a species of bat.

Sangan Island Conservation received the money from the Jersey Community Foundation science fund to conduct a study into the grey long-eared bat (Plecotus austriacus), which is classified as ‘near threatened’.

Its main threats have been identified as a loss of roosting space, habitat loss, light pollution and climate change. 

Piers Sangan, the company’s director and principal ecologist, said: “This funding is a highlight in a year that has been otherwise difficult for this species
locally, with what we fear being potentially a whole year’s young lost due to the extreme hot weather in July.”

The money will be used to buy equipment, to procure training and undertake studies into roost ecology locally.

Dr Amy Louise Hall, director of research and training, said: ”We are very thankful for this support from the Jersey Community Foundation with funds from the Channel Islands Lottery Fund, which will enable us to find out much more about this species locally.

“This is a special bat species, and one where the company, through the grey long-eared bat project, have become the main authority for this species locally.
‘We look forward to publishing and publicising the results of this coming year’s bat research.”