The National Parks and Wildlife Service at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has published the first Species Action Plan for the lesser horseshoe bat in Ireland. Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD, said: “The lesser horseshoe bat is a charismatic little mammal. It’s the only bat species in Ireland to live up to its stereotype of hanging freely by its feet and wrapping its wings around its body.”
The publication of this Species Action Plan and its collaborative, pragmatic approach is a positive step forward for the conservation of this unique bat. The aim of the plan is to guide, inform and provide structure for the conservation management of this unique and important species over the next five years (2022-2026).
The lesser horseshoe bat is one of nine bat species found in Ireland, but it is confined to the six western counties from south Mayo down to west Cork. The most recent estimate of the lesser horseshoe bat’s population is 12,790 individuals. The growing gap between occupied roosts in Kerry and in Limerick is of particular concern. This gap appears to have developed due to habitat fragmentation caused by agricultural intensification.
One of the Action Plan partners is The Vincent Wildlife Trust. They have a long history of bat conservation in Ireland and in the UK. They manage 12 bat reserves in Ireland specifically for the lesser horseshoe bat and have published a handbook of practical conservation measures for the species.