A new scientific study has been undertaken by Moors for the Future Partnership and Derbyshire Bat Group to search for evidence of bats foraging on Kinder Scout, the National Nature Reserve cared for by the National Trust in the Peak District. Audio recording equipment was placed on the mountain plateau over all of the Summer months of 2024 to find out more information about the scale and variety of the bat populations and their hunting behaviour at two high-altitude scientific trial sites – one highly vegetated restored peatland area and one control site which remains in poor condition with expanses of bare peat still present.
In 2020, initial exploratory research recorded several species of bats on the iconic plateau, which was once all a bleak desolate moonscape of degraded blanket bog. At 613 metres above sea level, this is one of the highest recorded locations of bats in the UK.
Analysis of the audio recordings from the 2024 trial has revealed some exciting new findings. At least 7 species of bats were present on Kinder Scout during the 64-night survey period, such as Leisler’s bat, the soprano pipistrelle and the barbastelle which is an extremely rare bat in Derbyshire. Patterns of data suggest that almost twice as many bats visited the restored peatland sites densely planted with sphagnum moss as the unrestored site, and spent twice as long there. This includes one evening in August where 100 bat passes were recorded on the vegetated site compared to just 17 on the degraded site.
Data collected over many months suggests that there is a sufficient quantity of insect prey living or breeding on Kinder Scout to sustain the effort taken for the bats to fly up to the site, a good indicator of a healthy and wet blanket bog on an upward trajectory of recovery.
The Derbyshire Bat Group and Moors for the Future Partnership monitored the ultrasonic echolocation calls of bats through the use of bat detectors. The monitors recorded the sound of bats both navigating and feeding on their insect prey. A feeding call gets faster and faster as they hone in on their meal, which is known as a feeding buzz.
To discover more about the potential sources of food present for the bats, in August 2024 for the first time moth traps were installed on both sites too. This method involves drawing the moths into a box using UV light in order to count them and then release them. In one night 65 moths of many different species were caught on the restored moorland site, compared to just 4 on the unrestored site.
Moors for the Future Partnership have monitored vegetation on the trial sites of densely planted sphagnum moss on Kinder Scout for the past 15 years but these ultrasonic samples allow a greater understanding of biodiversity and wildlife on the site. Sphagnum moss are bog-building species that holds water on the land for longer and creates new habitats for wildlife. The acoustic data collected reveals information about bat activity on the site, providing valuable information about the importance of connectivity between woodland where they roost and moorland where they appear to be feeding in terms of how far species will commute to catch prey.
For over 21 years Moors for the Future Partnership has worked to restore degraded peatland on a landscape scale across the Peak District and South Pennines. The resulting transformation of these once barren and lifeless uplands can be marked seasonally by the gentle return of nature to the restored moors, reclaiming once uninhabitable ground lost to the heavy-metal pollution of the Industrial Revolution.
Alan Roe, Recorder at Derbyshire Bat Group said:
“I was hopeful that we might find evidence of bats venturing onto Kinder occasionally but I have been astonished by just how regularly they are visiting and foraging on this remote high moorland during the summer months. To have recorded at least seven different species indicates that there is a great variety of insect prey available. It shows just how valuable the work by the Moors for the Future Partnership is, restoring degraded moorland back to a biodiversity hotspot."
Tom Spencer, Senior Research & Monitoring Officer Moors for the Future Partnership said:
“These two monitored sites on Kinder Scout are crucial to our long-term understanding of moorland restoration. I’ve been coming up to Kinder since 2013 and at the beginning it was really demoralising seeing vast expanses of bare peat. You just saw problems everywhere, but from a vulnerable starting point we have managed to turn that around and nature is now looking after itself.
"If we can roll out the kind of restoration work we’ve done on Kinder Scout on an experimental basis across all available upland deep peat there would be a significant reduction on the severity of flooding, making the moors more climate resilient. On Kinder Scout we’ve demonstrated what is possible, if we try.”
Craig Best, General Manager from the National Trust said:
“The results of this study help to provide another piece of evidence about the positive impact of the peatland restoration work that has been taking place on this iconic part of the Peak District for decades. The presence of bats is a good signal that the work to ensure a mix of moorland plants are growing and healthy peat bogs are forming are creating the right conditions for insects to thrive which then provide a good feeding ground for bats and other animals.
"As part of our work to address the climate and nature emergency, we are continuing our long-term restoration on Kinder, and the rest of the 10,000 hectares of moors in the care of the National Trust in the High Peak. This will help to ensure there are places for wildlife to thrive in the uplands. This study demonstrates how what we are doing today will create resilient habitats for wildlife into the future.”