Rare bat makes Cambs home his own

A rare bat was rescued from a building in Great Shelford and successfully released back into the wild.

The Serotine bat became the first resident at the Abberley Woods housing development when he was found in the kitchen of a property ready for sale.

Serotine bats are mainly found in the south of the country and are rarely spotted close up.

Chris Vine from Cambridge Bat Group said: "They are struggling. They are considered quite special."

He added: "The Serotine may have suffered more than other bats because of a loss of habitat. It does require pasture and grassland.

"Of course that's a habitat that is around less and less these days, that's probably why they seemed to have suffered more than other species."

Open windows

Serotine bat

• Life span: Up to 19 years
• Body length: 6.2-8.2cm
• Wingspan: 32-38cm
• Weight: 15-35g
• Location: Europe
• Diet: Moths and beetles

The species, which is one of the largest in the country, was looked after by the Cambridge Bat Group who fed him meal worms to boost his weight from 18kg to 20kg.

While the Serotine is an uncommon sight in the area the Pipistrelle bat has found it a lot easier to find a home here.

Developer McGarrell Reilly have built nearby bat roosts to encourage the winged mammals.

If you find a bat in your home the Bat Conservation Trust recommend you leave it be and open up windows so it can find its own way out.

If you need more help you can call the National Bat Helpline on 0845 1300 228 or visit the Bat Conservation Trust online.

Serotine bat
Bat Conservation Trust
Abberley Woods
Wildlife Finder - Bats