Rare bat captured for first time in Jersey

A rare bat has been captured in Jersey for the first time since it was audibly recorded in the 1950s.

A rhinolophus ferrumequinum, better known as the greater horseshoe bat because of its horseshoe shaped nose, was captured at about 23:30 BST on Monday in St Peter's Valley by the Jersey Bat Group (JBG) and Sangan Island Conservation.

The bat is one of the largest species in the UK, the size of a small pear, and is usually spotted in the south west of England and Wales, the Bat Conservation Trust said.

JBG's Miranda Collett said "despite years of effort" since it was audibly recorded seven decades ago this was the first capture of the species "known to be particularly difficult bats to catch".

She said: "The species was known to occur in Jersey for some time through acoustic recordings and observations made during previous survey work carried out by a number of researchers and volunteers over the years.

"However, despite several targeted capture attempts, the species had never previously been physically captured and confirmed in the island."

Collett said the capture marked a "significant record for the island" and an important addition to its "understanding of Jersey's bat fauna".

"The presence of this species raises exciting questions about its status locally - whether Jersey supports a small resident population or whether these bats are occasional visitors moving between the island and mainland France," she said.

The JBG and the conservation group also caught four Natterer's bats, three common pipistrelles and a brown long-eared bat during the capture and release session.

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