08/09/2025
✨ Exciting news! ✨
Yesterday we welcomed a very special little visitor — a Nathusius’ pipistrelle bat 🦇, a rare species in the UK with them only known to be breeding here since the 90s and only a few known maternity roosts 👶🏻 ❤️
This lovely girl, now named Nancy, got herself into a bit of trouble coming to the end of her migration when she flew inland from the coast near Lizard Lane, Whitburn, and collided with a driver’s windscreen on her way to work. Thankfully, Nancy was only a little shaken and bruised. The kind finder kept her safe in a box (while also helping to set up at the Great North Run!) before bringing her to us 🥇🏃🏻
We were amazed to discover that Nancy is the first recorded Nathusius’ pipistrelle we’ve had this far down the coastline in the North East – what an incredible moment! 💚 🥳 After a day of eating about ten times her body weight in food (the girl loves her grub!) we tried to release her tonight but she decided she’d like breakfast in bed and another day of rest before she goes, we will try again tomorrow, we’re sure she’ll be on her way to finish off her journey very soon!
For those who don’t know, Nathusius’ pipistrelles are long-distance migratory bats. They are one of only a few UK bat species known to migrate long distances, sometimes flying over our North Sea with many oil rigs sometimes being used for resting. They travel thousands of miles across Europe, often between the UK and the Baltic region, burning through huge amounts of energy to fuel their journeys. Despite being small (just 5–8g, about the weight of a £1 coin!), they are mighty travellers — which makes seeing one here extra special! 😍 🌊
In a licenced project in Northumberland Nathusius have been captured and ringed. One of these bats was recaptured all the way in Poland! Another ringed Nathusius from London was recorded all the way in Moscow after sadly being killed by a cat…..what a journey to end with a cat attack! Another reason to keep your cats in during this time of year to help give our special exhausted bats a chance while they rest! 🐈⬛ ❌ 🦇 🙏🏼
Bats aren’t like birds that get easily airborne, they don’t have hollow bones or feathers so flying any distance is an effort. We therefore don’t know why these seemingly magical bats put themselves at such risk like that as they could just overwinter or hibernate in their own country. Research and projects are constantly being done in the bat world but we may never know in our lifetime why they do it! 🤷🏻♀️🤔🧐
And it’s not just Nancy keeping us busy — little Nina the Noctule bat pup is also doing well and will soon be ready to stretch her wings and return to the wild, we can’t wait to see her fly! ✈️ 🥰 Nina is enjoying the company of Nancy in an adjacent pen tonight, they’re chattering away like little old women! Nina probably like any curious child, asking loads of questions to Nancy; where she’s come from and what it’s like in the big wide world…. and Nancy probably telling her all about her journey, how annoying all that seagull traffic is and how expensive it is to travel these days! 🤣
We feel so privileged to meet these amazing creatures and to be part of such a dedicated team of bat carers here at Pawz. We’re extremely proud to be such a positive part of the conservation of a precious protected animal that does so much for us on this earth! 🌍 🙌🏻 🦇
🌙 Did you know?
• Nathusius’ pipistrelles are mostly recorded in autumn when they migrate.
• there are three types of pipistrelle in the uk - smallest - soprano, common and Nathusius (the biggest) and can be distinguished by their vein pattern on their wings
• Their echolocation calls are slightly lower in pitch than the common pipistrelle — usually around 39–41 kHz.
• Although they’re usually fatal to bat populations, when not moving wind turbines have been seen with some bats on their propeller blades desperately trying to rest their exhausted bodies which shows how tired they must be…..why do they do it to themselves?! The secret world of bats!
