General Article One of Britain's rarest mammals needs protection

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New research shows just 1,000 grey long-eared bats remain in the UK and numbers are declining.

The UK’s grey long-eared bats need greater conservation efforts before we lose them’ – Dr Orly Razgour is calling for this little-known species to be afforded ‘Priority Species’ status in the newly published Conserving grey long-eared bats in our landscape: conservation management plan.

Dr Razgour is the lead author of the plan. It’s based on new research she conducted into the species at the University of Bristol, in collaboration with the Bat Conservation Trust. Her research has shown the estimated population of these bats in the UK is around 1,000 animals and the population is declining. Prior to her study it had been hoped the bats were more numerous, sadly her findings confirm how very rare they are.

The bats are confined to small pockets along the south coast of England, including the Isle of Wight, with a small number found in the Channel Islands and a single record from South Wa...

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