Scientific Report
Mulkear EIP and Lesser Horseshoe Bat Conservation Project Final Report
Outcomes so far
Number of new roosts for lesser horseshoe bats in Limerick
6
Number of farmers engaged in the project
10
Number of acoustic bat recorders installed in the new roosts
6
What is the Lesser Horseshoe Bat Conservation Project?
The Lesser Horseshoe Bat Conservation is an EIP (European Innovation Partnership) project that was administered by Mulcair Catchment Ltd. The Project was funded by the EU Recovery Instrument Funding under the Rural Development Programme 2014-2022. It was one of 24 projects from around the country that were successful under the Competitive Call 5 announced in February 2021, which is known as the ‘Farm and Community Biodiversity Initiative’. This initiative sought proposals for the development and implementation of actions to enhance local on-farm biodiversity. Although all nine Irish bat species are found on farms, the lesser horseshoe bat is probably the one most dependent on the structures and habitats usually found on agricultural land.
Why Limerick?
County Limerick is a critical link between the lesser horseshoe bats that occur in west Cork and Kerry and those farther north, in counties Clare, Galway and Mayo. There are only 14,000 horseshoe bats within these six counties but, due to changes in the landscape over time, colonies in these counties are becoming isolated, which places the overall population at risk of inbreeding.
The conservation status of this species was recently downgraded from ‘Favourable’ to ‘Inadequate’ and further declines in its distribution and range are inevitable unless action is taken to conserve it. This action must, though, be targeted where it will be of most benefit. Recent research revealed that river systems are key potential corridors for the species and so Vincent Wildlife Trust (VWT) approached the ongoing Mulkear River Catchment Project to create this new initiative for the lesser horseshoe bat.
Photo: ©Andrew McCarthy
Key outcomes
This project worked with the farming community in the Mulkear Catchment to provide the bats with new day roosts and to enhance biodiversity generally.
The project has:
- provided permanent new bat roosts on farms;
- incorporated additional roosting and nesting places for other bat species and pollinators in the bat houses;
- raised awareness amongst the farming and wider rural community of their roles in conserving this species through training workshops and other educational resources;
- developed a versatile on-farm model for lesser horseshoe bat conservation that could be replicated in other counties under future agri-environment schemes.
Ongoing project
What happens next?
Lesser horseshoes require time to explore new roosts, so their immediate occupancy is not expected. Passive bat detectors are being used to monitor bat activity within the buildings. This will help determine when the bats start using the new roosts and guide future conservation efforts.
