PROGRAM BACKYARDSBats in

It’s no trick – if you volunteer to be part of the latest Saving our Species project, you’re in for a treat as the Department of Planning and Environment is seeking citizen scientists to scan the skies for insect-eating bats in four key locations.

The ‘Bats in Backyards’ project is being delivered by the NSW Government Saving our Species program in partnership with Western Sydney University and the NSW Department of Primary Industries, with Liverpool City Council participating.

Volunteers are needed in Western Sydney, Narrabri, Wellington, and Pillar Valley near Grafton in the first phase of the project, aimed at learning about how bats use different landscapes across NSW.

Saving our Species Senior Threatened Species Officer, Dr Joanna Haddock, advised that the Bats in Backyards pilot project is open to expressions of interest, with volunteers needed from November 2022 to April 2023.

“Small, insect-eating bats are found everywhere in Australia and private land provides crucial habitat,” Dr Haddock said. “This can include connected remnants of native bushland, hollow-bearing trees, unpolluted waterways, paddock trees and green spaces in cities.

“Bats historically have been portrayed as villains, but they are in fact our friends, as voracious predators of insect pests – eating mosquitos, biting midges and crop pests by the billions.

“Bats in Backyards enables anyone to contribute to conservation by recording bat calls.

“Participating citizen scientists will record bat calls for up to five days using a supplied bat detector.

“The bat detector picks up the high frequency echolocation calls from bats flying high overhead; bats we don’t see or hear. “The recordings will be analysed by scientists and each property owner will receive a personalised report detailing each bat species detected and their preferred habitat and food. “This will give us important information about where the bats fly, forage and roost.

“I’d urge anyone in our target areas to consider being a batman, woman or person, you don’t get to save Gotham City, but you could help save a species,” Dr Haddock said.

To find out more and register your interest in the Bats in Backyards project visit www.savingourspecies.online/bats