The Bats of Bodmin Jail
The Seven Species
Fittingly for an old building steeped in history, Bodmin Jail is much loved by bats. Of the 17 resident bat species in Britain, Bodmin Jail is home to seven:
- Common Pipistrelle
- Brown Long-eared
- Lesser Horseshoe
- Greater Horseshoe
- Whiskered
- Daubentons
- Natterers
Rare Species
An additional four species have been recorded foraging within the immediate environs of the jail, meaning that two thirds of Britain’s bat species live in and around Bodmin Jail.
- Nathusius’ Pipistrelle
- Soprano Pipistrelle
- Barbastelle
- Noctule
The jail is particularly important for its colony of Greater Horseshoe and Lesser Horseshoe bats, including a maternity roost of the latter species in part of the Gatehouse.
Horseshoe bats are among the rarest of Britain’s bat species, being restricted to South West England and Wales, and are estimated to have declined by 90% during the twentieth century. All of Britain’s bat species are protected by law as a result of their historic declines and threats to their habitats.
OUR ECOLOGY WORK
Bodmin Jail has invested heavily in the construction of an additional bat ‘bungalow’, roosting boxes and converted loft spaces to help secure the future of this colony – a bespoke building, designed to be an attractive, comfortable, safe and secure environment in which these fascinating little creatures can thrive. The construction team continue to work very closely with ecologists throughout the building process, suspending work every time a bat is found hibernating behind the plaster on the walls or under tiles on the roof.
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