Management effects on bat hibernacula in the Netherlands
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Published source details
Voûte A.M. & Lina P.H.C. (1986) Management effects on bat hibernacula in the Netherlands. Biological Conservation, 38, 163-177.
Published source details Voûte A.M. & Lina P.H.C. (1986) Management effects on bat hibernacula in the Netherlands. Biological Conservation, 38, 163-177.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Install and maintain cave gates to restrict public access Action Link |
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Install and maintain cave gates to restrict public access
A controlled, before-and-after and site comparison study in 1976–1984 in four abandoned underground war bunkers in the Netherlands (Voûte & Lina 1986) found that the number of hibernating bats at three bunkers increased after human access had been restricted by installing grilles or sealing entrances, and the number of bats in one unmodified bunker remained constant. The number of hibernating bats in three bunkers increased over one and a half years after grilles were installed or entrances were sealed (before: 15–35 bats; after: 30–115 bats). Bat numbers at a fourth bunker with no restrictions in place remained constant (1976: 12 bats; 1984: 13 bats). At least five bat species were counted (see original paper for data for individual species). Bunker entrances were either sealed completely or grilles of vertical bars were installed in 1977 or 1980. Sand and debris were also removed from one of the bunkers. The individual effects of each intervention were not reported. At each of four bunkers, annual winter counts were conducted from 1976 or 1978 until 1984.
(Summarised by: Anna Berthinussen)
