Radio telemetary allows bats to be followed as surveyors track their movements from dusk to dawn. It is a valuable method used to locate seasonal roosts, commuting routes and foraging areas. Applied to the appropriate situation the information can be extremely valuable. For larger schemes such as EIA (Environmental Impact Assessments) and where rare bats could be affected by a development it is often a required method of survey.

In 2013 ECS confirmed the presence of a hitherto unknown barbastelle maternity colony roosting in woodlands at the National Trust's Hinton Ampner Estate in the South Downs National Park. Funding support from the Environment Agency enabled radio tracking surveys which identified new roost sites in the Trust's woodlands and foraging areas over nearby fields, woodland and the River Meon.

Over the years Colleen and Paul have accumulated 1000 hours each of experience radio tracking a range of bat species including over 16 colonies of Bechstein's and barbastelle bats. Information gathered through this process has been integral to the planning and site design of schemes such as wind farms, new town developments and conservation management plans.

Scroll through the photographs below to see the various stages of capture and radio tracking bats.

The map below shows radio tracking 'fixes' for Natterer's bat along waterway. Red dots show roosts used during the 10 night period. Click here to find out about radio tracking work in the New Forest and Greywell Tunnell.