Kate McAney will be joining the Lough Carra Catchment Association for a talk on ‘The Secret Life of the Lesser Horseshoe Bats — why they matter to Lough Carra and the Catchment'

8pm, 31 March 2026
Partry Community Centre, County Mayo, F12 KF86

All are welcome

Big thanks to Bat Conservation Ireland for an incredible Irish Bat Conference this weekend!

We were delighted to present our work, showcase Inis Artists, and hear about so many exciting projects from across Ireland and further afield. Here’s to working together for #bats in #Ireland!

We are delighted to be presenting our latest research on the lesser horseshoe bat at the 11th Irish Bat Conference (21–22 March 2026).

We will also feature work from Inis Artists, The Lesser Horseshoe Bat—a creative exploration of the species’ life and environment through the artists’ perspectives.

New blog! Have you ever wondered how we choose the right tree for a pine marten den box? It’s trickier than you’d think! VWT’s Carnivore Conservation Officer discusses what to look for when picking the perfect tree. Full blog here bit.ly/4048b2H #MartensOnTheMove #NationalLotteryHeritageFund

Want to share your work on mustelids?
We're hosting the 36th European Mustelid Colloquium in collaboration with @mripas.bsky.social and Białowieża Ecology Conference.
Register and find out more:
www.vwt.org.uk/36th-europea...

February marked the completion of bat hibernation counts across our Kerry reserves!

The lesser horseshoe bat is the only Irish bat that always hangs freely, wrapping its wings around its body while roosting, making them easy to count.

Here are some favourite hanging spots from this year!

#bats

Join Kate McAney for the talk ‘Leather Wings and Bushy Tails’

Learn about the conservation work of VWT Ireland, focusing on the Lesser horseshoe bat, pine marten and Irish stoat.

7:30pm, 18 February 2026
Tara Building, Room T1.17, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick

@irishwildlifetrust.bsky.social

Download this latest report highlighting key potential corridors and barriers affecting #lesserhorseshoebats in Ireland along with practical actions to enhance connectivity for this rare species. www.vincentwildlife.ie/resources
#batconservationireland, @atu-ie.bsky.social, #NativeWoodlandTrust

Seen a squirrel or pine marten?

Make your sightings count by reporting them to the 2026 All-Ireland Squirrel and Pine Marten Survey.

ROI: records.biodiversityireland.ie/start-recording
NI: www2.habitas.org.uk/records

Led by @uniofgalway.bsky.social @ulsterwildlife.bsky.social and VWT

Could 2026 be the year you spot an Irish stoat?

Seen one? Submit your sighting to NBDC: tinyurl.com/muknanua

Thanks to Conservation at Crann for this clip of a stoat venturing out into the New Year. Stoats are active all year, but harder to spot in winter when tucked away in sheltered areas.

We were thrilled to join the 9th ALAN Conference in Co. Mayo! Kate shared research on how artificial lighting affects bats and represented Dark Skies Ireland as a council member.

For more info tinyurl.com/ALAN2025NEWS

Thanks @darkskyireland.bsky.social @mayodarkskies.bsky.social for a fab event!

In partnership with local authorities in West Ireland, we’ve completed our 8th modelling study to identify potential safe corridors for #lesserhorseshoebats to fly between roosts+ feeding areas. Part of the 1st #SpeciesActionPlan in Ireland for the species, we hope it will help safeguard its future.

Save the Date 6-9th October 2026

Announcement!
We're organising the next European Mustelid Colloquium in partnership with @mripas.bsky.social and the Białowieża Ecology Conference

Join the mailing list: eepurl.com/ga-5z9
#36EMC

Glad Conor O’Brien enjoyed his time at one of our lesser horseshoe bat reserves. His description of watching the bats emerge will transport you back to a warm summer’s evening. Read all about it in his new book The Living and the Dead: Tales of Loss and Rebirth from Irish Nature. www.merrionpress.ie

With an increasing number of acoustic records of lesser horseshoe bats on the Isle of Man, VWT’s Ireland Mammal Programme Manager, Kate, joined the Manx Bat Group for site visits and delivered a sold-out talk.

Huge thanks to everyone who came along to learn more about this fascinating species!
#Bat

Brilliant session with our amazing Kerry volunteers! Together we crafted ~30 roosting pots and boards for lesser horseshoe bats.

Terracotta pots + wool wood boards coated in lime mortar = perfect textured nooks for bats to cling to (modern materials are too smooth!)

More info: tinyurl.com/yk82edb7

Six counties, six lesser horseshoe bat events, one fab #HeritageWeek2025 journey where 140 people joined Kate McAney along the way. Most saw + heard #lesserhorseshoebats for the first time! Huge thanks to NPWS, local biodiversity officers, The Heritage Council and all who came out to celebrate bats!

Our sixth and final stop on the lesser horseshoe #bat tour was Glengarriff. Lots of activity from soprano & common pipistrelles, including a territorial male common pip, patrolling the river!

Huge thanks to everyone who joined, NPWS ranger Mary Coleman, and VWT staff from Wales.
#HeritageWeek2025

Stop five of our lesser horseshoe #bat tour took us to Killarney’s Fossa Way. We didn’t just see and hear horseshoe bats, five other species showed up too!

Big thanks to everyone who came along and supported the event, including VWT staff visiting from Wales!

#HeritageWeek2025

Stop 4 of our lesser horseshoe #Bat tour drew a fantastic crowd at Curraghchase!
We had amazing Leisler’s activity before the horseshoes showed up, plus pips & Daubenton’s along the lake edge.

Huge thanks to all who joined and to Limerick Biodiversity Officer for the support!

#HeritageWeek2025

Stop three on our lesser horseshoe #bat tour brought us to the beautiful Dromore Woods. We were treated to wonderful encounters with horseshoe bats, lively soprano pipistrelles, and Daubenton’s skimming the water at dusk. Huge thanks again to NPWS staff and all who joined us!

#HeritageWeek2025

Stop two on our lesser horseshoe #bat tour: the stunning oak woodlands of Garryland. Huge thanks to participants, NPWS staff, horseshoe bats & pips for joining us!

#HeritageWeek2025

A big thank you to all who joined the first of 6 sold-out lesser horseshoe bat walks this #HeritageWeek2025. The horseshoe bats and lots of soprano pipistrelles put on a great display for us just after sunset. Thanks to Brian Hughes, NPWS Conservation Ranger, for his knowledge and support.

What a great turnout at our Lesser Horseshoe #BatConservation Workshop for farm advisors.

Huge thanks to all speakers, especially to farmers Arnold Acheson and Alan Daly, for sharing their inspiring stories.

Funded by DAFM and NPWS

Our walks in counties Mayo, Clare, Limerick and Cork still have a few spaces!

Register here: tinyurl.com/bdeymdy9

@mayodarkskies.bsky.social

This #HeritageWeek2025, we're hitting the road to raise awareness about the lesser horseshoe bat, with free #bat walks in each of the western counties where it’s found.

6 counties, 6 events — one fascinating journey into the world of lesser horseshoe bats!

Register here: tinyurl.com/bdeymdy9

Emergence Counts for 2025 Completed!

This summer, we counted 4,059 Lesser Horseshoe Bats across our 12 Irish summer roosts — our third highest total ever on record!

A huge thank you to the volunteers who came out (and survived the midges!) to help with the counts.

#Volunteering #Bats

Join us on 30 July at the Castletroy Park Hotel, Limerick, for a full-day event focused on landscape-scale conservation for the Lesser Horseshoe Bat.

This workshop is designed for those advising farmers on actions that benefit the lesser horseshoe #bat. Register now: tinyurl.com/5c6sabzj

We’re more than halfway through this year’s #lesserhorseshoebat count across our reserves! Thanks to our amazing #volunteers for making it happen and making a difference. Watch this space for the final numbers!

Many species rely on dark skies to feed, breed and move safely. This year, Ireland hosts the 9th ALAN Conference with global experts on light pollution + dark sky protection. Get early bird tickets now for talks, field trips + networks. www.darksky.ie/alan-2025-conference @darkskyireland.bsky.social