Group Contact: Steve Parker 14 Kent Drive Bury Lancs BL9 9DL
Tel: 0161 764 8850
Registered Charity Number 1109519
GUARANTEE OF CARE FOR STRANDED BATS
Thank you for passing responsibility for the welfare of the bat you have found to the South Lancashire Bat Group. We will do our utmost to act in the best interests of the bat. We are a voluntary organisation, so any donation you may wish to make towards our work will be very gratefully received.
We always aim to return bats to the wild as quickly as possible, but we never release a bat unless we are confident in its ability to fend for itself and survive. When a bat has been injured we assess its ability to sustain flight and manoeuvrability thoroughly before releasing it.
All bats are returned to the exact location or address of finding whenever possible. If this information is not readily available we attempt to obtain it or release the bat in a nearby suitable area.
If a bat is obviously badly injured and unlikely to make a good enough recovery to have a good quality of life, it will be euthanased as soon as possible rather than prolong its suffering. We never take the decision to end a bats life lightly and will observe its progress in captivity, if necessary, before making a decision.
Some bats will recover well but never regain sufficient flight ability to be able to be returned to the wild. The bats remain with the group’s carers and act as advocates for their species giving the public the opportunity to have close contact with a bat. This helps people learn the true nature of bats, dispelling some of the myths that surround them and encouraging new members to become more actively involved in bat conservation.
It is not the group’s policy to hand-rear babies unless return to the roost is impossible. Neither do we keep bats, which need amputation of a major limb, although they often recover well, unless it is thought they will be able to do exceptionally good work with the public.
Fiona Parker Injured Bat Consultant for South Lancashire Bat Group.