#38 -Veteran Trees, Bat Research and Training - Jim Mullholland

In this episode Richard interviews Jim Mullholland and talks about veteran trees, bats, training, virtual Preliminary Roost Assessments (PRA’s), research into veterinisation of trees and can we do better in looking for bats, plus so much more! Jim observes that since the commencement of the Bat Tree Habitat Key project, our knowledge of tree roosting bats has increased dramatically. Despite this, standard tree surveys yield poor results (the probability of finding bats on a single visit may be as low as 5%). What can be done to improve prospects for bat surveyor and bats alike? Jim shares findings from his ongoing research which aims to improve how we survey for bats in trees. Can off-the-shelf trail cameras give us the advantage we need? What information can these cameras give us? And who would win in a fight between a noctule and a grey squirrel?