BatChat
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: comms@bats.org.uk
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
83 episodes
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 w...
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 importan...
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...
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 i...
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 jo...
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 roos...
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 o...
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 afternoo...
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 an...
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 present...
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 intervie...
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...
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.W...
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 T...
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 peo...
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 fa...
The Bat Night Market
S6E62 🌙 The Bat Night MarketImagine 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 ba...
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 hiberna...
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 speci...
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-ea...
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...
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 Reserv...
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 ses...
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 dee...
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 aroun...