Bats at Killerton

Killerton’s rangers work with Devon Bat Group to undertake bat monitoring across the estate. A special team of bat volunteers keep tabs on which species of bat call the woodlands, farm houses and barns of Killerton ‘home’.

Bats in Ashclyst Forest

Ashclyst Forest is the largest woodland on the Killerton estate and the group regularly check over 60 bat boxes a month just in Ashclyst. They also monitor bat roosts around Killerton House, Garden and parkland, and tenant farms and other buildings which might be inhabited by bat species.

Bats are batty about Killerton

Bats are a sign of a green and healthy environment-the bats love Killerton as much as we love the bats. Devon Bat Group’s Sarah Butcher says: “Through the team’s monitoring we have so far recorded eleven of the UK’s 17 breeding bat species at Killerton, making the estate a hugely important site for bats in the South West”

Killerton is home to 3 particularly exciting species for Devon:  Lesser Horseshoe, Greater Horseshoe and Barbastelle. Bats are some of the key species that indicate a healthy environment. The volunteers’ efforts on bat monitoring across the estate tell us which bats we have, how they use the estate’s habitats and monitor the health of their populations.

We hope to have details of volunteering opportunities and bat walks that Sarah runs during the summer and early autumn soon. Keeping checking back for further information.