The Figgate Friends want to encourage our local bat population by providing bat boxes.
Bat populations have declined considerably over the last century and sadly bats are still under threat from building work that affects roosts and loss of habitat (Bat Conservation Trust). The bat boxes will provide artificial roosts in a wooded area of Figgate Park to offer alternative resting places for the bats to rear their young in the summer months and for hibernating in the winter.
Scott Thomson City of Edinburgh Council Parks Officer says:
“This project is part of an overall plan to increase the wildlife within the park. The friends group has worked with the local neighbourhood team to create several new planted areas such as butterfly area, planted 250 small trees and worked with local business to provide a bird feeding station. The addition of these bat boxes will provide a real benefit to the park’s wildlife. The Figgate Friends are a great group and the perfect lead for this project.”
The conservation standard schwegler boxes we wish to buy are suitable for mounting in a wooded area and cost £43 each. We aim to raise enough funding to purchase eight bat boxes. They will be mounted in suitable positions using advice from a local bat expert. The Council has kindly offered to install all the boxes.
FAQs
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Is that a Figgy Bat?
It most certainly is, managed to get a picture of bat in flight and hoping to get be able to provide some bat boxes for the figgy bats.
Updates
Delighted to see we have raised £88 in just a few days. Thats two bat boxes secured 🙂 This is great news for the Friends Group and even better news for our Figgy bats.
Bat fact … All bats have very big appetites, because flying uses up lots of energy. A common pipistrelle can eat over 3,000 tiny insects in a single night!
Updated on: 29th May 2015
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