Welcome to the Angus Bat Group web site. This is a new site and as such is under development. The site aims to be an information portal in regards bats that are found in Angus, Scotland. In particular it intends to provide information on  bat biology / conservation / echolocation.

There are over 100 Bat Groups in the British Isles. 

What do Bat Groups do?

• Bat Groups are the mainstay of bat conservation in the UK. Most are run by volunteers who are united by their love of bats.
  
• Bat Groups vary greatly in their size, the way they operate and the things they do. Some 'groups' are just a single individual while others have hundreds of members.
  
• Most Bat Groups have members involved with projects like the BCT's National Bat Monitoring Programme. They also carry out their own field work, including monitoring and survey of roosts and important bat habitats, bat box surveys and inspections of underground sites, looking for hibernating bats.
  
• Bat groups across the UK also provide many of the Voluntary Bat Wardens, the mainstay of the roost visitor programme, providing free advice and information to people who find bats in their houses.
  
• Many groups organise training programmes, especially for people who wish to become licensed bat workers, but also run a wide range of events, walks and talks, showing members of the public the bats on their doorstep.
  
• The first contact many people have with a bat is finding one that has lost its way, or become injured. Bat groups provide the vital network of volunteers, rescuing and caring for sick, injured or downed bats, rehabilitating them for release back into the wild.
  
• You do not need to be an expert to enjoy bats or to help conserve them. You can do as much or as little as you like. Whether you want to train to get a licence, or just learn a little more about these fascinating creatures, the key thing is to have fun.

Need help with a bat?

If you find a bat on the ground,

 A bat found on the ground during daylight hours is likely to be in trouble already. Bats are protected, so it is normally illegal to keep healthy, flying bats, and a licence is needed to handle them. However, anyone who finds a bat that is ill or injured may take care of it in whatever way is most humane and practical with the objective of its rehabilitation to the wild. Sometimes a grounded bat may just be exhausted and need a bit of time to recover with a little help. It may be injured or in danger from passing cats so it is better to take it into captivity temporarily and follow the instructions below.
 
 Bats are gentle creatures and seldom show any aggression but they are wild animals and may be frightened or in pain. You must take care not to be bitten so wear protective gloves and handle the bat as little as possible.

Place a box (which should be shoe box or ice cream tub sized) over the bat and slide a piece of cardboard under the box to make the floor of the container. If this is not practical then put on a pair of protective gloves and pick up the bat and put it in the box. Put a piece of cloth such as an old tea towel loosely crumpled in one corner of the box. The bat will feel safer if it has something to crawl into and hide. Put a few small air holes into the lid and a very shallow container (such as a foil milk bottle top) of water in one corner so the bat can have a drink.

Telephone the Bat Helpline on Tel: 07939-503235  for advice.

 

There is a bat flying round inside a building.

A bat flying in a room is looking for a way out! Bats have a very sophisticated system for finding their way around in the dark, but despite this some do end up getting trapped inside buildings. This happens most often between mid July until mid August which is when baby bats are learning to fly, and are inexperienced in using their newly developed echolocation skills. This means that when they are finding their way back to the roost after hunting they might crawl through the wrong gap or through an open window, especially if this window is beneath the roost entrance, and find themselves inside the house rather than in the roof. Bats are very small and need only a very small space in order to gain access, so sometimes it can be very hard to tell how a bat got in.

The best course of action is to close the door to the room, and to open the windows to the outside as widely as possible, dim the lights and give the bat the chance to find its own way out. Bats navigate by sending out high-pitched sounds and listening for the echoes so the bat should soon detect any opening that leads out of the room. If it does not find its way out it will roost somewhere in the room when it becomes light, and will appear again the following evening at dusk. If you wish to search the room to ensure the bat has gone, the best places to look are in the folds of curtains and behind picture frames and other places that are high up and where the bat can roost out of the light. However, bats have been found hanging from the tassels at the bottom of an arm chair, so do not neglect looking at a lower level.

NEVER try to catch a flying bat - you are likely to injure it severely and it may even bite in self-defence.

Sometimes young bats, which are inexperienced fliers, will become exhausted before finding the way out. They may try to land on a wall or curtains, or they may crash land on furniture or the floor. In this case, you should contain the bat, and then release it in the evening.

Telephone the Bat Helpline on Tel: 07939-503235  for advice.

What should I do if I am bitten by a bat?

• Wash the wound immediately with soap and water for at least five minutes. Additional cleansing of the wound site with an alcohol base or other disinfectant is also recommended.
• Seek immediate medical advice from your GP; you can also call the NHS Direct Helpline on 0845 4647.

Telephone the Bat Helpline on Tel: 07939-503235  for advice.

Always wear gloves to handle bats.

The Angus Bat Group is lucky enough to have the help of an experienced bat rehabilitator, who can be contacted on Telephone number 07939-503235 or e mail batnurse@angus-bats.com          
          
Or, contact ,
Tim Caselton
Ranger Centre
Monikie Country Park
Monikie
Angus DD5 3QN
Tel: 01382 370202
Mobile 07979 283024
Email: tim.caselton@btinternet.com


Angus Bat Group Contact e Mail addresses.

Chairman
Secretary
Treasurer
Membership
Webmaster
Bat Nurse

Please visit again as the site grows and give your comments. Many thanks.

This is a test movie

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Would you like to download the .MOV file to your computer? Then do it from here!

This is a test audio file

Would you like to download the .MP3 file to your computer? Then do it from here!