The Government of Jersey is signatory to a number of multi-lateral environmental agreements, for which ongoing monitoring of protected species constitutes a vital part of the reporting requirements.
Bat populations form an important component of these legal requirements due to their sensitivity to environmental change, and their role as bioindicators for wider environmental health.
Despite a wealth of bat survey activity in Jersey, including acoustic driven transects for the Indicator Bats Programme (iBats), robust population trends are absent for many species. In this report the authors describe the design and implementation of an island-wide static acoustic monitoring system for Jersey. By analysing data gathered from two pilot surveys, July 2018 and July 2019, they assess its potential for generating longterm population trends for a wide range of bat species.
The report includes a number of recommendations for the development of a bat population monitoring programme in Jersey.