Essex Bat Ambulance Group

Around 20 members of Essex Bat Group are involved in the Bat Ambulance Group.

Our dedicated volunteers respond to bat calls from members of the public and rescue injured, orphaned and grounded bats. They provide immediate care for the bats before they are passed on to one of two 'hospitals' for further treatment or rehabilitation.

All ambulance volunteers have recieved specialist training and are fully vaccinated so they can safely deal with wild animals.

The ambulance volunteers also educate the public when they respond to calls. Rescues are often ways of finding summer maternity roosts. This information helps us to understand bat distrubution patterns in Essex.

The rescued bats are kept until their injuries are healed and their body weight is the optimum for survival. It is crucial that the bats are released where they were found so they can rejoin their colony.


Essex Bat Ambulance Group	back to rescue

Around 20 members of Essex Bat Group are involved in the Bat Ambulance Group. Our dedicated volunteers respond to bat calls from members of the public and rescue injured, orphaned and grounded bats. They provide immediate care for the bats before they are passed on to one of two 'hospitals' for further treatment or rehabilitation. All ambulance volunteers have recieved specialist training and are fully vaccinated so they can safely deal with wild animals. The ambulance volunteers also educate the public when they respond to calls. Rescues are often ways of finding summer maternity roosts. This information helps us to understand bat distrubution patterns in Essex. The rescued bats are kept until their injuries are healed and their body weight is the optimum for survival. It is crucial that the bats are released where they were found so they can rejoin their colony.

Rescue statistics
The group aims to release all rehabilitated bats, although some are already dead when they are picked up, or die very soon afterwards. The rest have a good chance of survival. Outcomes for 2005: (total number of bats rescued = 89) 33% dead on arrival; of those still alive after two days 72% were released back into the wild!

If you would like to get involved in bat rescue, here's what to do: Join Essex Bat Group (if you have not already), and then contact our rescue co-ordinator.