Serotine bat

2025 target

Colony counts of maternity roosts at known Kent serotine roosts.

Status

Widespread but declining.

Rationale

This indicator provides a means of monitoring population trends and can be monitored effectively and with a good degree of accuracy as part of the National Bat Monitoring Programme. Ensuring no net loss of roosts is difficult, in part as a major contributing factor in roost loss (all known serotine maternity roosts are in buildings, mainly houses) appears to be changes of temperature regimes. However, there is also a difficulty in finding the maternity roosts as this is not easy and requires manpower. Gaining roosts will depend on good relationships with landowners, favourable landscape management i.e. agri-environment schemes, and access to good land management advisors.