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Wildlife Advice: Bats

bat

 
bat
There are 18 species of bat found in the UK (meaning that bats make up about a quarter of all Britain's mammal species) and of these species, 14 have been recorded in Powys.

Bats naturally live in trees and caves, but many have adapted to roosting in buildings such as houses, churches, barns, tunnels and bridges. All native bats are insect eaters and are unrelated to mice and other rodents. This means that bats roosting in buildings do not chew through wiring, timber, furniture or other items.

British and European bat populations have fallen rapidly over the last hundred years so all UK bats and their roosts are strictly protected by law.

If you need advice about bats, both GOV.UK and the Bat Conservation Trust have produced guidance for roost owners, site developers and managers, as well as guidance about legislation and licence requirements. The Bat Conservation Trust also gives advice via the National Bat Helpline.

You should talk to Natural Resources Wales before you start any structural or unusually noisy work, erect lighting, or fell or prune trees, if you suspect bats may be roosting nearby. Natural Resources Wales will give advice on the best way of working. If you find any bats when you are working on a property or tree you should stop work immediately and contact Natural Resources Wales for advice.

If you need advice about bats in relation to a planning application see the Planning and Development (wildlife) page.