Jersey Zoo Establishes Bat-Friendly Habitat

Jersey Zoo has developed a bat-friendly garden with the aim of supporting local bat species and their habitats. The area, which was revealed during Bat Week, includes bee and bug hotels, plants selected to encourage insects, and 30 vibrantly colored wooden bats painted by a local nursery. Created by the zoo’s keepers and site services team, the garden highlights elements that individuals can incorporate into their personal outdoor spaces. Mammal keeper Nicola Shaw commented: “The space where we created our bat-friendly garden was an area that hadn’t been used for anything for a few years, so it was the perfect spot to keep our local island bats happy and healthy.” Bat Week is an international event designed to increase public understanding regarding the necessity of bat conservation. The garden is located in proximity to the zoo’s Bat Island Roost, which is home to an estimated 8% of the total global Livingstone’s fruit bat population. Ms Shaw added: “Loving bats as much as I do and getting to work with the Livingstone’s fruit bats means I get an insight into their world and understand just how much these incredible animals contribute to our environment.” Follow BBC Jersey on X and Facebook. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.