New bat house has no bats

[Trigger]

THEY like to hang out at home but not a single bat has moved into a state-of-the-art, centrally heated pad that cost the Irish taxpayer €175,000.

It might be the most modern purpose-built bat house in Europe, but the Lesser Horseshoe couldn’t give a whatever it is a bat couldn’t give.

It’s been on the market for two years and now animal conservation experts are in a flap over the fact that the custom-built bat-gaff, located along the route of the €205 million Ennis bypass, is as empty as an upturned bucket.

Why did Clare County Council decide to spend as much cash on the bat billet as would have provided a semi-detached townhouse in the county?

Well, it’s all because the tiny Lesser Horseshoe bat is protected under the EU Habitats Directive and is listed as a vulnerable species.

As part of the contract for the bypass project, GAMA Construction was required to put in place a series of measures — including the construction of a purpose-built bat house — to ensure the welfare of the bat along the route.

However, a report drawn up for the company by environmental consultant Howard Williams of Inis Environmental Services, confirms the bats are not at home.

In the report released under the Freedom of Information Act, Mr Williams writes: "Though the electronic equipment and more importantly the heaters, have not been operational it is highly unlikely that this is the reason for their absence. It is more likely that bats in the area have yet to discover and investigate the purpose-built house."

In the search for any evidence of bat activity at the home, Mr Williams reports: "No breeding activity noted. No droppings are apparent anywhere within the house or outside the house on the pavement."

The new bat house has been kitted out with infrared beams to monitor bat movements and a telephone line has been installed into the home to enable the downloading of the information.

Maybe the bats are awaiting broadband before they make the move.

I know this is probably a boring topic to everyone but I just had to post it for the last sentence in the article.

Even the bats want decent broadband.

[magooba]

It is not enough to build houses/dwellings for any species.. Ther landscape has been so modified that the bats prey has become locally extinct.
eg: no water-no fish-no gannets.
Typical Irish, Give with one hand and take away with the other !
don't be fooled though, they've already made their move!!