Going Batty (For the Better)

Brown long-eared bat

Bats. These ancient mammals aren’t just a horror movie trope. We’re calling bat-spoitation and doing our part to support the UK’s web-winged heroes for doing their part for our economy, ecosystem and comfort. Did you know all 18 UK bat species are insectivores? They are so good at pest control that the amount of insects they eat in some regions reduces the need for pesticide sprays. Think about that next time you buy organic!

Bats are also important transporters of pollen and their poop can help with reforestation through seed dispersal. Guano has never been more important. But British bat populations are on a knife edge due to habitat loss, the threat of disease and predation. The Bat Conservation Trust is the only UK organisation solely devoted to saving bats and their habitat. These local heroes run the National Bat Helpline, coordinate a network of volunteers and the general public to monitor bats, and conduct conservation research, among other things.

Ingencia is their newest Corporate Member, supporting their activities ranging from education and engagement, to lobbying, and many things in between.

If you’d like to support the Bat Conservation Trust, they have memberships and accept donations, but they are also looking for volunteers to help count bat numbers, become bat carers, help the helpline or provide administration assistance. Anyone can help by making your garden a bat haven by following their Gardening for Bats guide or joining a local bat group.

In addition to helping the BCT, we’re also supporting a local volunteer bat carer, Tracey Joliffe. Look forward to our post about that next month.

Ingencia is an Enterprise Content Management specialist. We provide the software and services to solve information-based business problems and to improve operating efficiency and provide records compliance. For organisations such as the BCT, this means saving money and saving time that could otherwise be spent on other things, whether that be education outreach, caring for bats, or on guano duty.

Our team members have worked with organisations such as the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Sky News and Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions. To find out how we can help your organisation, contact us.

Photo of Brown Long Eared Bat courtesy of Tracey Jolliffe