Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences

Bats (Order chiroptera)

Bats are the only mammals capable of true flight. There are 17 species of bat in the UK but all have suffered declines in the last century due to loss of habitats and food resources, and building/development work affecting roost sites. All bats and their roosts are now protected by law.

The Brackenhurst campus is home to a number of bat species including pipistrelle, Daubenton’s, noctule and brown long-eared bats. A number of students have undertaken final year research projects on bats and have investigated topics including the use of hedgerows and the development of habitat suitability indices.