The BUND, an environmental protection organization in both Hesse and Baden-Württemberg, Germany, has named the Bechstein's bat the Secretive Bat of the Year 2024. This is the fourth time they've highlighted a native animal often overlooked in daily life.
The Bechstein's bat is particularly fond of ancient oak and beech forests, like those in Hesse's Rhine-Main lowlands and Rheingau-Taunus, and around 140 to 160-year-old oak forests in Baden-Württemberg. Regrettably, their habitat is under threat due to increasing forestry activities, landing them on Germany's Red List of endangered species.
In the UK, the Bechstein's bat faces another challenge: the proposed HS2 high-speed rail project in Buckinghamshire. Ancient woodlands, such as Sheephouse Wood, are at risk, potentially disrupting the bats' natural behavior and posing a threat to their survival. To mitigate this, a £100 million bat tunnel is being constructed.
Regulations by environmental agencies like Natural England have ensured no bat death is acceptable along the HS2 route, leading to a costly and lengthy planning process. Meanwhile, organizations like BUND are advocating for nature conservation in Germany, collaborating with their UK counterparts to ensure the protection of underappreciated species.
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The Bechstein's bat isn't just fighting the challenges of human development in Germany and the UK. It is also facing climate change, which is affecting bat roost sites and dates of emergence. Warmer temperatures and earlier springs may cause young bats to emerge before insect food sources are available, leading to a higher risk of starvation.
Conversely, colder springs may result in later emergence, causing potential conflicts with other bat species due to limited food resources. Additionally, extreme weather events like storms and heatwaves may damage roost sites, further threatening this endangered species.
Organizations advocating for the Bechstein's bat are also working on preserving their remaining natural habitats in Southern and Western Europe, where the species still thrives, in the hopes of providing a refuge if current challenges prove insurmountable.
[1] Taylor, L., Bloomfield, K.J., & Hayes, L. (2021). HS2 and the Bechstein's Bat Cave: a Case for Collaborative Bat Mitigation in the UK. Bat Conservation International. [2] UrbanNBS: Integrating Nature in Urban Planning. Nature and the City, University of Sheffield.
