Training towards a bat survey licence is a great step if you’re interested in ecology, conservation, or environmental consultancy. Just make sure you keep at it and stay positive, bats are wonderful and the road to your licence can be one of the best but trickiest routes to take but worth every second. Here’s a structured approach to help you achieve this.
1. Understand Licensing Requirements
- In the UK, a bat survey licence is typically issued by Natural England (in England), NatureScot (in Scotland), Natural Resources Wales (in Wales), or the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (in Northern Ireland), depending on your location.
- A licence allows you to disturb bats legally during surveys, which is necessary for activities like handling bats or entering roosts.
- You’ll need to demonstrate competence in bat survey techniques and knowledge of bat ecology.
2. Gain Relevant Knowledge
- Learn Bat Ecology: Understand the biology, behaviour, habitats, and species of bats in your area. Books such as the Bat Workers Manual, online courses, and webinars are great resources.
- Study Guidelines: Familiarise yourself with the Bat Conservation Trust’s (BCT) guidelines for survey methods and roost assessments.
- Use a training checklist: Familiarise yourself with the training guides on pages 168 and 169 of the Bat Workers Manual reproduced in the table below and in full here and BCT’s Training standards
Topic | Checklist/Training Item |
---|---|
Legal Protection | Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017, Licensable activities, Basic protection, Limits to protection, Licensing, Dwelling houses, and others. |
Bat Biology and Ecology | Basic biology, Taxonomy, Physical adaptations, Lifespan, Breeding, Food and feeding, Social behaviour, Habitat selection, Range of roost sites, Feeding, and Seasonal changes in site selection. |
Bat Conservation | Historical evidence, Current threats, Habitat changes, Effects of modern farming, Pesticides, Loss of insects, Sensitivity of bats to disturbance, Public relations, Persecution, and intolerance. |
Practical Methods | Handling and examining bats, Catching bats, Health and safety in bat work, and more related to survey techniques. |
Consultation/Liaison | Interaction with SNCOs, Arranging and inspecting sites, Collecting relevant data, and Follow-up actions. |
3. Undertake Practical Experience
- Join a Local Bat Group: Many local bat groups offer training and practical survey opportunities. This is a great way to gain hands-on experience and network with professionals.
- Volunteer with Licensed Bat Workers: Assisting licensed bat workers allows you to learn about surveys, bat handling, and mitigation measures.
- Attend Training Courses: Consider attended training sessions. They often include techniques like using bat detectors, conducting emergence surveys, and identifying roosts.
- Undertaking freealnce or sub-contracting work: Most ecological consultancies take on freelance or sub-contractors during May to September to assist with dusk emergence surveys, bat transect surveys, bat sound analysis and reviewing infrared or thermal video footage.
4. Use and Understand Bat Survey Tools
- Get familiar with bat detectors (e.g., heterodyne and full-spectrum detectors) and software like Analook Insight, Kaleidoscope or BatExplorer for analysing bat calls.
- Learn about equipment used for roost inspections, such as endoscopes and thermal imaging and infrared cameras.
5. Build a Portfolo/logbook
- Document your experience by keeping detailed records of the surveys you participate in. Include dates, methods used, species observed, and your role in the survey. NRW have produced a logbook proforma which you can use for this purpose.
- You’ll need to demonstrate sufficient experience to support your licence application.
6. Attend Bat Licence Training Courses
You can attend a bat licence training courses. Providers include:
At Acer Ecology we also run a self-study bat licence training theory course.
7. Continuous Learning and Networking
- Attend conferences, workshops, and bat group meetings to stay updated on best practices and new techniques.
- Maintain membership of organsations like the Bat Conservation Trust and local bat groups to access resources and stay connected.
8. How Many Survey Hours are Required and Other Requirements
- Generally, 100-200 survey hours are required covering a range of different types including preliminary roost assessments, dusk emergence surveys and hibernation surveys. Whilst not essential for the class 1 or non-handling licence experience attending bat box checks and bat trapping sesssions using mist nets and harp traps with local bat groups will help develop your bat identiifcation skills. Valuable experience can aslo be gained undertaking bat care.
- The statutory agencies will require evidence from your references that you have disturbed a range of UK bat species with artificial light during your survey experience. If you have not found bats on preliminary roost assessments you may need to undertake hibernation inspections to gain this experience.
9. Who Can be a Provide a Reference?
- Referees must be wildlife professionals, which may include approved volunteer trainers of bat roost visitors where applicable.
- To qualify as a referee, they must meet both of the following criteria:
- Have direct knowledge of your work involving the species specified in your application; and
- Hold or have held a similar licence within the last three years.
- The following individuals cannot act as referees:
- Your partner or relative; and
- A trainer from a course you completed, as this cannot replace a reference.
- If you’re providing 2 references with your licence application, both references should be independent of each other. This means that both referees should:
- not be employed by the same organisation as you, unless they can each show that the reference relates to projects only one of them worked on with you, or work from outside the organisation; and
- be able to show that their judgement was reached independently from the other referee or piece of evidence supporting your application
10. Applying for the Licence
- Once you have enough experience and understanding, as well as , apply for the appropriate licence through your statutory agency (e.g. Natural England, NatureScot, Natural Resources Wales, or the Northern Ireland Environment Agency.
- Your application will usually require either two references from licensed bat workers who can vouch for your skills.