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Lincolnshire Bat Rescue couple step up to help flying mammals and dispel fears around them




With the long, warm summer evenings here, you’re more likely to spot a flying mammal that has proved a little divisive.

Bats might not be everyone’s cup of tea but there’s no reason to be scared of them, says a group dedicated to their welfare.

Orphan pipistrelle bats all taken into the care of Lincolnshire Bat Rescue this season from Doncaster, Dalby, Grimsby and Woodhall Spa. Photo: Supplied
Orphan pipistrelle bats all taken into the care of Lincolnshire Bat Rescue this season from Doncaster, Dalby, Grimsby and Woodhall Spa. Photo: Supplied

Lincolnshire Bat Rescue assisted more than 170 bats last year across the county, mostly grounded ones. And it’s an important role for the future of a mammal which is in steep decline, partly due to the lesser prevalence of food due to widespread insecticide use.

Julie Ellison, who runs the group with her partner James Simpson, said: “A female can have 20 pups in her lifetime but most of those won’t make it.

“It’s a lot harder for bats to survive these days.

Julie Ellison and James Simpson, of Lincolnshire Bat Rescue. Photo: Supplied
Julie Ellison and James Simpson, of Lincolnshire Bat Rescue. Photo: Supplied

“When I was younger, you had to stop the car to clear the windscreen of insects – that doesn’t happen anymore.”

At this point during summer, bat pups are learning to fly – a skill that has to be learned within just one or two nights if they are to survive.

Young ones returning to the roost, often aiming for a limited access point, can sometimes get their approach wrong, leading to them being grounded.

James Simpson with a bat. Photo: Supplied
James Simpson with a bat. Photo: Supplied

Other reasons include a newly-born pup being accidentally dropped by its mother while she’s foraging; when she’s struggling to find food to feed them and the pup goes wandering; or the young bat gets the roost location wrong and flies through an open window, often a bathroom.

However they are grounded, that’s where Lincolnshire Bat Rescue comes in. With its small number of volunteers, including five ambulance drivers, incoming calls from all parts of the county and just across the borders signal the start of their care process.

At Julie and James’ home at Croft, Skegness, they have a purpose-built flight – a safe, enclosed space where bats can find their wings either for the first time or as a refresher.

Feeding a bat pup. Photo: Supplied
Feeding a bat pup. Photo: Supplied

“And as far as I’m aware we’re the only people in Lincolnshire who hand-rear babies,” said Julie.

The pipistrelle - the most common of 12 species in Lincolnshire – can live for about 25 years. They mate in autumn and for all but its first year, the female can reproduce, albeit to just one pup per year.

Julie said: “There’s no need for anyone to be scared of a bat.

“You do occasionally hear these stories of a pup landing on someone’s shoulder or a bat getting tangled up in someone’s hair.

James Simpson with a bat. Photo: Supplied
James Simpson with a bat. Photo: Supplied

“I think some of the fear comes from them sometimes flying quite close to people. What’s happening is that insects are attracted to the warmth and carbon dioxide which we’re producing and the bats are trying to feed on the insects.”

Lincolnshire Bat Rescue receives no funding so it relies on the goodwill of its volunteers and donations. With the fuel bill alone running to a significant amount there’s a shortfall to find each year.

For Julie, formerly a touring musician, it’s the love of being able to help bats which drives her to continue with the welfare work.

“About 14 years ago I moved into a house in North Lincolnshire. It was July 6 and it was a really hot year,” she recalled.

“After a busy day unpacking, I stood outside in the back garden and I was taken aback by the bats flying around the house.

A newly-born pipistrelle bat, weighing just 1.1 gram. Photo: Supplied
A newly-born pipistrelle bat, weighing just 1.1 gram. Photo: Supplied

“I asked several people about them but nobody seemed to know much about bats so I decided to find out more for myself.”

Anyone finding a bat in need of help should only handle them using gloves or a piece of cloth, due to the very small but significant risk of it carrying a rabies strain.

“For adult bats, box them up with a bit of cloth or material and a little bit of water,” said Julie. “If you find a bat at this time of year, it could be a baby bat. It’s important not to give baby bats water.

“The first question I ask a finder is ‘does it look more like a mouse or more like a frog?’ If it’s more like a frog, then it’s likely to be a pup.”

Size is also a factor – a baby pipistrelle generally weighs just 1.4 grams while an adult will be about five grams (similar to a 20 pence piece).

And have you heard of the saying ‘as blind as a bat’? Well, it’s nonsense.

“Bats are not blind,” said Julie. “They have good eyesight and they often hunt in streetlight by using their sight.”

She added: “We’re also licensed to keep educational bats so those that are healthy but are unable to fly can be used for education events and bat talks. We’re wiling to travel to give those too.”

Lincolnshire Bat Rescue runs a 24/7 operation throughout the year. One bat was even collected on Christmas Day.

The numbers to call are either 01754 880070 or 07713 760211.



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