HEARTLESS vandals have damaged a bat house at Hurcott Pools and Wood.
The site in between Kidderminster and Blakedown is a site of specific scientific interest for its wetland habitats, in particular, the wet woodland.
The bat house was constructed during 2019 with the help of the Worcestershire Bat Group, using materials from a disused boathouse.
During the attack on the habitat, the bat house had its tiles from all sides of its roof ripped off and smashed.
Repairs to the house are planned for next week to make the building safe again for the bats.
Doors were sealed, special bat entrances were added, and roosting spots were built inside.
A spokesperson for Wyre Forest District Council which revealed the news on Wednesday said: “It’s an important place for bats, especially as their natural homes are becoming harder to find.
“Vandalism like this damages wildlife habitats and wastes time and money.”
They urged anyone who saw any anti-social behaviour at the area’s nature reserves to call police on 101 or by reporting it via the westmercia.police.uk website.
And they concluded by saying: “Let’s respect and protect our local nature together.”
Bat conservation
Figures from the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust and Bat Conservation Trust show the county is home to 14 of the 18 bat species found in the UK.
Among the most popular are the common pipistrelle, soprano pipistrelle and brown long-eared bat.
The county also has records of several other species, including some that are rare or uncommon, such as Bechstein’s bat.
Daubenton’s, Leisler’s, Natterer’s, and Whiskered bats are considered rare in Worcestershire although sightings have been recorded in the county.
Worcestershire is working to protect and conserve bat populations, including converting structures into bat hotels like the one at Hurcott Pools and Wood, and conducting surveys to assess the impact of development on bat roosts.
Earlier this year, Wyre Forest District Council received funding from the Natural Networks to install 20 nest and bat boxes around the woodland.
