Ours is a joint initiative with Kerry County Council and the Kerry Biosphere.

This project forms one element of a wider project being delivered by the KCC Biodiversity Office and the Kerry Biosphere. Throughout 2024 there are a suite of actions planned to raise awareness about our native bats and in particular the  Lesser Horseshoe Bat.

Ireland has nine native bat species, however one of these in particular is under greater threat through habitat fragmentation and loss of suitable roost sites. The lesser horseshoe bats the only bat in Ireland that hangs upside down to rest and so requires very specific nesting sites. It is only found in 6 counties in Ireland up the west coast from Cork to Mayo.

The four elements of this project are as follows:

1. Carry out Bat surveys to ground truth previous modelling work completed by the Vincent wildlife Trust on habitat corridors for the Lesser Horseshoe Bat. 
2. Deliver a schools and community education and awareness programme to encourage wider understanding of Irelands nine bat species and the conservation actions required to protect these species. This includes bats walks, bat box building workshops, schools workshops and the delivery of a calendar competition to primary schools in Kerry. 
3. Work with the ACRES project to encourage direct action within the scope of the project area to support bat conservation.
4. Deliver an arts engagement programme to augment the education and awareness raising programme of talks, walks and workshops 

Please note that the details of events listed above are provided by the relevant Local Authorities.