Bats in the Netherlands
by Amy
Posted on Monday, January 23rd, 2006 at 7:15 pm CET
I think bats are very cool. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen one here since I moved to Holland seven years ago. According to vleermuis.net (“the network for information about bats in the Netherlands”), 21 different bat species have been seen in the Netherlands. Of these, 7 species are commonly found. All 21 are protected species here, and 9 of the 21 are on the Dutch “Red List” for threatened mammals.
Of course bats are found all over Europe. EUROBATS notes no fewer than 8 bat-related events happening in Europe in 2006, including the National Bat Conference in Reading UK in September. There is even a museum in Bourges, France devoted to the flying mammals.
In the Netherlands there are at least 12 places where bats are known to spend the winter months, including Fort Kijkuit and Hinderdam, both in Noord Holland.
In spring 2005 volunteers built a new “bat hotel” in the Waterloopboos natural area in Flevoland. This month, three residents, brown long-eared bats, were discovered making a winter home for themselves in the hotel. This is quite exciting for bat-fans, as it usually takes years before bats will take up a new location.
This is all very interesting, but I’ve still never seen one here. So I’ve added something to my ever-growing to-do list: see a bat in Holland in 2006. Wish me luck!
I think bats are very cool. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen one here since I moved to Holland seven years ago. According to vleermuis.net (“the network for information about bats in the Netherlands”), 21 different bat species have been seen in the Netherlands. Of these, 7 species are commonly found. All 21 are protected species here, and 9 of the 21 are on the Dutch “Red List” for threatened mammals.
Of course bats are found all over Europe. EUROBATS notes no fewer than 8 bat-related events happening in Europe in 2006, including the National Bat Conference in Reading UK in September. There is even a museum in Bourges, France devoted to the flying mammals.
In the Netherlands there are at least 12 places where bats are known to spend the winter months, including Fort Kijkuit and Hinderdam, both in Noord Holland.
In spring 2005 volunteers built a new “bat hotel” in the Waterloopboos natural area in Flevoland. This month, three residents, brown long-eared bats, were discovered making a winter home for themselves in the hotel. This is quite exciting for bat-fans, as it usually takes years before bats will take up a new location.
This is all very interesting, but I’ve still never seen one here. So I’ve added something to my ever-growing to-do list: see a bat in Holland in 2006. Wish me luck!
1:38 pm
I am in Netehrlands for 2 month and I have seen some.