Wildlife charities are joining forces to learn more about a rare breed of bat which has previously been spotted in Berkhamsted.
Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust (HMWT) are working with Herts and Middlesex Bat Group to find out more about the barbastelle bat.
The charities are seeking maternity colonies to protect the bat, which was until recently presumed to be extinct in Hertfordshire.
In 2012, HMBG discovered the first maternity roost, where female bats gather to have their young each year, near Bishop’s Stortford. Since then, the two wildlife conservation charities have worked together to improve our understanding of these little-known creatures. This has led to two further maternity roost sites being located – one on the Ashridge Estate in Berkhamsted in 2018 and the other in St Paul’s Walden in 2019.
The barbastelle measures around four to five centimetres, with large ears and a pug-like nose.
Debbie Bigg, from HMWT, said: “By tracking down maternity colonies, we can help to protect the habitats which support bats.”
If you see a barbastelle bat, you can share your photos via social media tagging @HMWTBadger.
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