Bats sometimes get themselves into life-threatening predicaments: Getting stuck in obscure places; becoming grounded; or coming up against the neighbourhood cat. If you find a bat in Essex, please call one of the Essex Bat Care Helpline Volunteers for immediate help and advice (contact details below).
For bats found in other counties, please contact BCT Helpline 0345-1300-228.
Sometimes advice has been given to hold on to the bat and try releasing it at night. This advice could cause its death or certainly reduce its chances of surviving. In Essex, we respond immediately and would rather collect the bat, undertake a thorough assessment and deal with any health problems straight away. If the bat can be released back into the wild, then it will be done as soon as it is fit enough. This approach results in the best possible chance of survival.
If you do find a bat, please don’t delay in calling us for advice.
To reduce the workload of any one person the rescue response is operated on a rota. Please call a person listed below during the indicated time slot, who will arrange for the bat to be collected and taken to a specialist bat carer in Essex Bat Group.
You can also call the Bat Conservation Trust’s Bat Helpline 0345 1300 228 if you have any problems making contact.