atacea
Previous Case Studies
DISCLAIMER: The following bats were in our care whilst we were certified UK BCT Bat Carers. Members of the public should avoid handling bats, but if it is necessary WEAR GLOVES due to the small risk of a type of rabies.
UK: For more information, please visit 'Basic Bat Care' on Bat Conservation Trust website.
Canada: For more information, please visit your Provinces' Ministry of Natural Resources website.
Geoffrey
Species: Common pipistrelle
Found: Inside building (UK)
Taken into care: April 2018
Likely cause of grounding: Underweight
Weight at start: 0.5g
Weight at release: 4.5g
Released?: Yes - end of May 2018
More info: The people who found Geoffrey crawling up the corridor in their business building were inspired through their experience of finding and helping out a bat and decided to get more involved with bats as a result!
RELEASED
Frigg
Species: Common pipistrelle
Found: Grounded outside with wing tears (UK)
Taken into care: July 2018
Likely cause of grounding: Caught by cat (holes in wing)
Weight at start: 4g
Weight at release:
Released?: No - died in care of unknown cause
More info: Frigg (named after Friday 13th) was a very chatty bat and likes to hang upside down in his custom made pouch.
Mid-July 2018
End of July 2018
R.I.P
Dewi
RELEASED
Species: Common pipistrelle
Found: Grounded outside with puncture wounds (UK)
Taken into care: May 2018 by Devon bat carer
Likely cause of grounding: Caught by cat
Weight at start: 3.8g
Weight at release: 5g
Released?: Yes - collected by us and released back at site found
More info: Dewi was collected by a Devon bat carer who described him as fiesty and noisy. When released he was very eager to go and was shouting for us to let him go.
Cornelius (Fudge)
R.I.P
Species: Common pipistrelle
Found: Flying around house in daylight (UK)
Taken into care: July 2018
Likely cause of grounding: Underweight, dehydrated and very young
Weight at start: 2g
Weight at release: N/A
Released?: No - died 24 hours after being taken into care
More info: Fudge's finder also took many professional photos of him whilst he was waiting for us to turn up, which BCT now uses to demonstrate how baby bats look when found.
Theseus
RELEASED
Species: Soprano pipistrelle
Found: On floor in someone's garden (UK)
Taken into care: September 2018
Likely cause of grounding: Unknown
Weight at start: 4g
Weight at release: 4.2g
Released?: Yes - next day
More info: Theseus (named as Chloe was close to submitting her PhD thesis) took a long time to take off when released and instead kept trying to hide between Jessie's fingers.
Conker
R.I.P
Species: Big brown bat
Found: Grounded in woodland (Canada)
Taken into care: June 2020
Likely cause of grounding: Cat attack
Weight at start: N/A
Weight at release: N/A
Released?: No - euthanized on welfare grounds
More info: Conker was found with multiple fractures and wing tears. He was very skinny and dehydrated. The kindest thing to do for this bat was to euthanize due to the extent of injuries.
