PODCAST · science
BatChat
by Bat Conservation Trust
Taking you into the field to discover the world of bat conservation. BatChat is for anyone who loves bats or has an interest in the conservation of these fascinating mammals. Ecologist and Chair of the Bat Conservation Trust Steve Roe takes you on-location, talking to the experts as well as local heroes to bring you the latest from the world of bats. Series 7 is currently being released with new episodes dropping every other Wednesday. In this upcoming series we travel to the Yorkshire Dales to visit the Hoffman limekiln, to Pembrokeshire to visit the infamous greater horseshoe bat roost at Stackpole and to a disused water mill that is now home to one of the most important bat colonies in Wales. Get in touch with feedback and ideas for stories you’d like to hear: [email protected] Bats are magical but misunderstood mammals. At the Bat Conservation Trust we have a vision of a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together.
Episodes
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The Bedfordshire Bat-by-Boat Survey
In this final episode of Series 7 of BatChat, we go out on a unique paddling journey along the River Great Ouse with the Bedfordshire Bat Group and the Viking Kayak Club. Bob Cornes from the bat group explains how the survey came about and as we embrace the peacefulness of the river we discuss…
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Margam Castle & Eco-Poetry
S7E76 In this episode of BatChat, we explore bat conservation with experts Megan Price and Beth from Margam Park in South Wales. They share insights on the park's rich biodiversity, highlighting the fourteen bat species present and the importance of managing roosts while balancing conservation...
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From Aberdeen to Madagascar with Paul Racey
In this episode, we chat with Emeritus Professor Paul Racey, one of the best-known figures in bat ecology and conservation. Paul talks about how his interest in bats began when he was at school, watching dusk fall and becoming curious about the animals that emerge after dark. He shares how early...
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From Discovery to Recovery; Three Decades of Bat Science at Stackpole
In this episode of BatChat, we explore the significant roost of greater horseshoe bats on the National Trust's Stackpole estate in Pembrokeshire, Wales. With insights from conservationists Maggie Andrews and Paul Culyer, we discuss the site’s impressive growth from 200 bats in 1994 to over a...
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Restoring the Past - The Andrew Watson Holgate Detector
Steve Page from the Hampshire Bat Group is the custodian of Andrew Watson's Holgate Bat Detector, one of the first commercially available bat detectors which was developed in the 1960s. Steve built his own bat detector which kick-started his journey into bat conservation, joining the Hampshire…
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On a Wing and a Prayer
This week we visit Tattershall Church. As we’ll hear in this episode, Holy Trinity is a very important place for bats, with two maternity roosts present along with a number of other species. The site has been part of the National Bat Monitoring Programme for many years. The church is a great...
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Edward Wells - Somerset Bat Group
This week we sit down with Edward Wells from the Somerset Bat Group and talk about bats in the county and the work being done to protect them. Edward’s interest in bats started when he was a child and has seen the bat group turn 40 with years of hands-on conservation. We discuss the county’s…
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The Hoffman Kiln: Where Bats Reclaim the Dales
North of Settle in the Yorkshire Dales lies the Hoffman Kiln, a relic of the industrial revolution. It's now an important site for bats of the Dales all year round. In this episode we chat to Dave Anderson and Dave Fisher who on Friday afternoons, in a term they've coined as Fieldwork Fridays…
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Pencelli’s Hidden Roost — 50 Years of the Vincent Wildlife Trust
In this episode of BatChat, we explore the 50-year history of the Vincent Wildlife Trust (VWT) and its vital role in bat conservation. I speak with CEO Lucy Rogers about her role with VWT, the organisation's founding by the Hon. Vincent Weir and its ongoing efforts to protect our rarest bat...
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Chris Packham on Bats, Bills and the Battle for Britain’s Wildlife
S7E68 We're back with a brand new series and we're starting this exciting new collection of interviews with our President, Chris Packham. We last heard from Chris five years ago back in Episode 14 but this time Steve met the Springwatch presenter at the Natural History Museum. We discuss the new...
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Series 7 is ready to take flight
We introduce our upcoming series, BatChat, premiering on November 5th. The series will explore the intriguing world of bats while also highlighting wildlife conservation and the amazing people working to conserve them. We conduct field interviews with bat conservationists to gain insights into...
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Big News – Behind the Mic
We’ve hit a milestone - and it’s all thanks to you! In this special bonus episode, host Steve Roe takes you behind the scenes of BatChat: from the podcast’s beginnings in 2018 to the present day. Discover how the show came to be created, what goes into producing each episode, and enjoy a…
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Frome After Dark: A Town on the Hunt for Bats
S6E66 In this episode, we're in the charming market town of Frome in Somerset, where the locals take part in a hands-on citizen science event. Armed with bat detectors, participants are sent out around town to record any bats they spot. What makes this event even more exciting is the use of...
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Restore Nature Now
S6E65 In this noisy episode, we’re taking you to the heart of the Restore Nature Now march in Central London, where 60,000+ passionate individuals gathered on June 22nd 2024, to demand stronger action for nature. The Bat Conservation Trust formed part of the march in the 'air' block which started...
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NightWatch: Breaking Barriers to Bat Conservation
S6E64 In this episode of BatChat, we’re shining a spotlight on NightWatch, a groundbreaking community science project from the Bat Conservation Trust. Launched in 2021, NightWatch is the only initiative of its kind in the UK, helping people uncover the hidden world of nighttime wildlife while...
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Farms, Bats & Climate: Connecting Communities
S6E63 Climate change is shifting the landscape—literally. But what does that mean for wildlife, especially bats? This episode takes us into the Connecting People and Landscapes in a Changing Climate project, a hands-on effort bringing farmers, landowners, and communities together across the...
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The Bat Night Market
S6E62 🌙 The Bat Night Market Imagine a world without bats. Ever heard of a market that comes alive at night—just like bats? We visit the Bat Night Market, an immersive event blending art, science, and nature. Inspired by bats and nocturnal life, this market offers a unique experience like no...
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Where Do Pipistrelles Go? A Winter Mystery
S6E61 Recorded in the winter of 2024, in this episode we travel to the Northumberland coastline to a National Trust property called Seaton Delaval Hall. We’re there because this property is home to the UK’s largest-known pipistrelle bat hibernation roost. For many years we haven’t really known...
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Into the Forest: Barbastelle Bats of Pembrokeshire
S6E60. In this episode, we venture into the ancient Pengelli Forest in Pembrokeshire to uncover the story behind one of the region's most remarkable bat discoveries. Back in 2000, Margaret Clarke discovered presence of barbastelle bats, a species known for its elusive nature. Joined by Margaret...
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An Evening with Somerset's Rarest Bat
S6E59 This week, we’re diving into an evening adventure at the stunning Tintinhull Gardens in Somerset, owned by the National Trust. Joining the Somerset Bat Group, we’re on the hunt for one of the UK’s rarest bats – the elusive grey long-eared bat. In this episode, you’ll hear: 🦇 What makes the...
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Batting on a Budget: Phil Atkin’s Game-Changing Bat Detector
S6Ep58 In this episode of BatChat, Steve sits down with Phil Atkin, the creator of a groundbreaking bat detector that’s making waves in the bat conservation community. Using the Raspberry Pi Pico computer, Phil has designed a cost-effective way for people to build their own bat detectors—for just...
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Into the Knapp: A Night Walk with Worcestershire Bat Group
Step into the nocturnal world of the Knapp and Papermill Reserve with the Worcestershire Bat Group! In this immersive field recording, join us for a unique bat walk through the varied habitats of this Worcestershire Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve. This episode captures a real-time adventure as we...
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Megan McCubbin
S6E56 We’re back with a brand new series! At the 2024 National Bat Conference at the University of Reading, zoologist and wildlife TV presenter Megan McCubbin joined us to chair a thought-provoking debate on ethical conservation. In between sessions, Megan sat down with Steve to chat about her...
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Our 6th Series is just around the corner...
Get ready for an action-packed Series 6 of BatChat! This season, we're bringing you breaking news from the bat world, and that’s just the beginning. We’ll take you on a twilight bat walk, explore a buzzing night market with a twist and head deep into Somerset’s countryside in search of the…
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How to get a bat licence - with Richard Crompton
S5E55 Sat in the entrance to a cave in Wales, hidden amongst temperate rainforest, Richard Crompton gives you his insight into the best way to go about getting your bat licence. Richard has been training ecologists for many years now with around 400 people coming to his courses over the years. In...
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Bats at the National Trust
S5E54 This week Steve sits down with Joanne Hodgkins, nature conservation advisor for the National Trust. Sitting in the hot August sunshine at The Vyne near Basingstoke, Steve finds out how the National Trust cares not just for it's special places, but for it's special wildlife. Jo explains how...
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The sonic success of David King; Inventor of BatBox detectors
S5E53 This week we join David King who created the BatBox III and BatBox Duet detectors amongst several others for four decades. David tells Steve of how it all came about and they delve into the history of bat detecting, how the Bat Detective book and CD was created and we get an insight into…
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Bat Tracking; the drones changing the way we can undertake research
S5E52 Steve calls in to Canberra, Australia to chat with Dr Debbie Saunders. For over 20 years Debbie has worked as an ecologist and studied the movements of small migratory birds. This includes the Swift Parrot, one of Australia’s most endangered birds. Like many small animals, Swift Parrots…
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Bats in the Channel: Jersey Bat Group
S5E51 Join Steve in early summer on the Island of Jersey as he sits down with a trio from the bat group. In this interview we hear about the historic work of the group and the sort of survey work being done at the moment on the Island. With 18 bat species recorded on this 46 square miles of land...
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Boathouse to Bat House
S5E50 On the edge of Kidderminster lies Hurcott Pool and Wood Nature Reserve. An old boathouse on the edge of the pool has been repurposed by Worcestershire Bat Group and a few minutes away lies Lea Castle Village where the street lighting has been designed with bats at the forefront of its…
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Walking with bats
S5E49 This week we join BCT member Mark Ferguson who has just released his latest album; Walking With Bats. What does it sound like to go bat detecting? From start to finish, this question has underpinned Walking with Bats. Mark's main goal throughout the album's development has been simple: to...
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The Lifesaving Legacy of Livingstone's Fruit Bats at Jersey Zoo
S5E48 Jersey Zoo in the Channel Islands is home to 90% of the world's captive population of Livingstone's fruit bats. With an estimated 1300 in the wild, this captive breeding programme is vital to the survival of the species in a disaster event. We join Dominic Wormell inside the bat enclosure…
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Gargoyle Guardians: A Bat Count at Lacock Abbey with the Wiltshire Bat Group
S5E47 On the edge of the Cotswolds lies Lacock Abbey, home to Professor Quirrel's classroom and the Mirror of Erised. But whilst millions of people will recognise the Cloisters of the Abbey used in the filming of the Harry Potter franchise, a rather special spectacle can be found here once the…
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The Bechstein's of Bracketts
S5E46 Hidden in west Dorset is a nature reserve which holds a very special secret. A bat box scheme which was installed in the late 1990's is home to one of the most well-studied colonies of Bechstein's bats. Join Steve as he spends the day with the Vincent Wildlife Trust and Dorset Wildlife…
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It's time for Series 5!
BatChat Series 5 is set to kick off on Wednesday November 1st, with an exciting lineup of guests and fascinating interviews. Stay tuned for more great content and enriching conversations. Don't forget to check out the accompanying video on YouTube for more batty content. Mark your calendars, set...
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A new exhibition of wildlife sound at the British Library
S4E45 - Bonus! This summer, in a major new exhibition, you can see how documenting the animal world has resulted in some of humankind’s most awe-inspiring art, science and sound recordings: Animals: Art, Science and Sound is now open at the British Library Part of the exhibition is dedicated to...
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Wild Isles
S4E44 - Bonus! The landmark nature documentary series Wild Isles, presented by Sir David Attenborough is currently transmitting on Sunday's at 7pm on BBC One. The fourth episode "Freshwater" features a fabulous bat sequence, recorded in Yorkshire of the phenomenon of autumn swarming. Back in...
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The History of Bat Conservation with Dr Bob Stebbings
S4E43 As series four comes to a close, Steve sits down with a titan of bat conservation. Dr Robert (Bob) Stebbings is one of the original bat workers in the UK and in this episode we hear about some of the major bat conservation work undertaken by Bob over the last half century. Make sure you...
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Winged passions: The bat basement of Cliveden House
S4E42 This week Steve joins Chris Damant in the grounds of Cliveden House on the banks of the River Thames. As fine dining takes place in the hotel above them, Chris and his team have set up traps to catch bats as they arrive to mate in the middle of the night. Underneath the south terrace are a...
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Tony Hutson & the greater mouse-eared bat
S4E41 Tony Hutson has been shouting about bats since the 1960's and has changed the bat conservation landscape in that time. He was a founding member of the bat groups of Britain, the precursor to the Bat Conservation Trust. His survey work on the lonely greater mouse-eared bat inspired a play…
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How the Western Link could affect the Western barbastelle
S4E40 In this interview recorded right at the end of August 2022, Steve is sat in a Norfolk woodland with Dr Charlotte Packman. We learn what potential impacts a new road in the area might have on the local bat populations and as Lotty explains it could have a significant impact on a nationally...
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The bat man of Mexico
S4E39 Rodrigo Medellín is Mexico's very own 'Bat Man'. Since he first kept vampire bats in his bathroom as a child, Rodrigo has dedicated his life to saving them. On the evening of the 2022 UK National Bat Conference, Steve sits down with Rodrigo and asks him what it felt like to succeed in…
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Bat flies with Dr Erica McAlister
S4E38 We return to London's Natural History Museum. This time however, we're in the bowels of the Diptera collection with flygirl herself, Dr Erica McAlister. If you think you recognise that name it's because Erica has graced the airwaves several times before including BBC Radio 4's The Infinite...
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Haddon Hall
S4E37 Haddon Hall, the private residence of Lord and Lady Edward Manners, is set in the Peak District in the valley of the River Wye. With nine hundred years of history, it is one of the oldest houses in the country and moreover one of the only houses in England to have remained in one family’s...
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The find of the century
S4E36 You join us in a secret location this week. Back in 2019, Scotty Dodd from the Sussex Bat Group made the most significant discovery in the history of the bat group...the first maternity roost of greater horseshoe bats in Sussex for one hundred years. Truly the find of the century! In a…
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Bat roost visit service
S4E35 We're back with a brand new series! This week Steve joins a volunteer roost visitor, Chris Smith from Staffordshire Bat Group, on a roost visit requested by the Bat Conservation Trust. Chris discusses the value of the free service, how he got into volunteering for the visits and why he…
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Series 4 is nearly here!
BatChat is returning on 9th November 2022 with series 4 and we want to hear from you! Yes that's right; you guys, your voices, on this show. We want you to get in touch with your favourite bat experience. Maybe you discovered bats living in your house, you went on a bat walk for the first time or...
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Knepp Rewilding Estate
S3E34 Hidden amongst the boughs of an Oak tree, Steve & his guests look down over the Knepp Castle Rewilding Estate; former farmland which has been allowed to return to nature by the owners Isabella Tree & Charlie Burrell. In this episode, as the sun sets the light turns golden. Below us red deer...
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The National Bat Monitoring Programme
S3E33 Discover the amazing work taking place in the dead of night each year by hoards of volunteers. This episode starts with Steve joining a team of these volunteers who are counting out a brown long-eared bat roost in the Derbyshire Dales at dusk as a nearby rookery gathers. We then sit down in...
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Angela Mills; Bobby the brown long-eared bat
S3E32 Join Steve on the Welcombe Hills overlooking Stratford-upon-Avon as he sits down with the author of Bobby the brown long-eared bat, a children's book which follows the adventure of a baby brown long-eared bat who lives in the attic of a farmyard. Sitting in the autumn sunshine on a wooden...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Taking you into the field to discover the world of bat conservation. BatChat is for anyone who loves bats or has an interest in the conservation of these fascinating mammals. Ecologist and Chair of the Bat Conservation Trust Steve Roe takes you on-location, talking to the experts as well as local heroes to bring you the latest from the world of bats.
Series 7 is currently being released with new episodes dropping every other Wednesday. In this upcoming series we travel to the Yorkshire Dales to visit the Hoffman limekiln, to Pembrokeshire to visit the infamous greater horseshoe bat roost at Stackpole and to a disused water mill that is now home to one of the most important bat colonies in Wales.
Get in touch with feedback and ideas for stories you’d like to hear: [email protected]
Bats are magical but misunderstood mammals. At the Bat Conservation Trust we have a vision of a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together.
HOSTED BY
Bat Conservation Trust
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does BatChat have?
BatChat currently has 83 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is BatChat about?
Taking you into the field to discover the world of bat conservation. BatChat is for anyone who loves bats or has an interest in the conservation of these fascinating mammals. Ecologist and Chair of the Bat Conservation Trust Steve Roe takes you on-location, talking to the experts as well as local...
How often does BatChat release new episodes?
BatChat has 83 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to BatChat?
You can listen to BatChat on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts BatChat?
BatChat is created and hosted by Bat Conservation Trust.
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