Bat Care in Worcestershire
Neil McLean - Bat Worker & Carer
Bat Care is a very serious undertaking and commitment in terms of putting in the time 'to care’ and learning as much as you can to ensure that any bats in your care are treated in the very best and most humane way possible.
Having a good strong and reliable backup (my bat care trainer in this case) for reference purposes is, through experience, a critical requirement; especially when there are issues that are either new to you or you are unsure or unclear as the apparent health of a particular creature.
I thought it might be of some value and interest to share some detail of some of the creatures we have been involved with and cared for over the years and the learning that has often come out of the activity.
BLE’s Final forage?
We collected an unfortunate downed male Brown Long Eared bat from a private residence in Redditch last year which, upon examination, was suffering from burns.
The finder’s house was located adjacent to a sports ground, which used large lighting heads to give an adequate cover to the area.
BLE as found by the home owner and the flood lighting next to where he was found
The supposition is that the bat, whilst foraging around the light units, came into contact with the lamp body - assumed to be the glass (?). It received significant burns to its right ear. Its chin and throat were also very badly blistered with a hole being burnt straight through its throat. Unfortunately it didn’t survive long at all and had died before we were able to administer any significant care.
The shock to its system would have been massive, though it had survived through the previous night. Its long term recovery was on reflection very doubtful as its thoracic injuries would not have healed. Its own demise took the decision away from us possibly to euthanase it.
I haven’t yet checked the typical operating ‘shell and glass’ temperatures of such lamps but as a point of consideration for designers and engineers generating a specification for amenity areas and the protection of bats, etc, especially if bats are known to use the area.
Its injuries, blistered chin and burnt throat
Burned right ear
All pictures © N. McLean Next time: "Colin Creosote"