The healthy colony of up to 40 common pipistrelle bats has been discovered roosting in a maintenance shed at the Trinity venue. Believed to be females who are likely to have young in there as well, they were seen during a dusk survey by members of the Jersey Bat Group. The creatures obviously felt very much at home in the grounds, because they confidently made their way to the lemur lake to feed. Mammal keeper at the park Stephanie Masefield, who is also the group’s chairwoman, said that the presence of bats was a sign of a healthy eco-system. ‘The sighting of this maternity roost is an excellent indication that planting by Durrell staff has paid off, leading to lots of insects for the bats to feed on,’ she said. A common perception is that bats roost only in old buildings like churches, but in reality they are just as comfortable in modern surroundings like the Durrell maintenance shed. Mrs Masefield said that female bats tended to gather in a colony when they were having young, while the males were usually seen on their own or with one or two other male companions.
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