In Italy, several species of bats use urbanised areas in different phases of their life cycles. These bats are found roosting in attics, cellars, bell towers, gutters, bridges etc. Monitoring the status of these bats populations and their roosting sites is important for conservation and in order to increase human awareness of the role and importance of bats in man-made environments. Because of frequent request of interventions due to interactions between bats and humans, the need of creating local consulting teams that can find answers to satisfy the citizens and protect the bats has arisen. In the province of Varese, North-Italy, the first Italian 'bat-team' was officially created in 2002 as an experiment to develop efficient intervention guidelines. During the first year, 43 requests of interventions were received. These actions have allowed to preserve roost sites mainly used by Pipistrellus pipistrellus and P. kuhlii. The other recorded species were Plecotus auritus and Eptesicus serotinus. During interventions, the 'bat-team' provided information about bat biology, distributing educational and popular material like booklets, leaflets, posters and educational games for children. In order to enhance bat protection, citizens were suggested to leave bats undisturbed, which was accepted in all cases of colony occurrence, indicating that proper information and education efforts will result in an increasingly positive attitude towards bats by the general public.

Chiroptera in urban areas: conflicts and coexistency. A pilot project in Varese province (Lombardy, N Italy) / Chirichella, Roberta; Mattiroli, S; Nodari, M; Preatoni, D; Tosi, G; Martinoli, A.. - In: NATURA. - ISSN 0369-6243. - 94:(2004), pp. 11-17.

Chiroptera in urban areas: conflicts and coexistency. A pilot project in Varese province (Lombardy, N Italy)

CHIRICHELLA, Roberta;
2004-01-01

Abstract

In Italy, several species of bats use urbanised areas in different phases of their life cycles. These bats are found roosting in attics, cellars, bell towers, gutters, bridges etc. Monitoring the status of these bats populations and their roosting sites is important for conservation and in order to increase human awareness of the role and importance of bats in man-made environments. Because of frequent request of interventions due to interactions between bats and humans, the need of creating local consulting teams that can find answers to satisfy the citizens and protect the bats has arisen. In the province of Varese, North-Italy, the first Italian 'bat-team' was officially created in 2002 as an experiment to develop efficient intervention guidelines. During the first year, 43 requests of interventions were received. These actions have allowed to preserve roost sites mainly used by Pipistrellus pipistrellus and P. kuhlii. The other recorded species were Plecotus auritus and Eptesicus serotinus. During interventions, the 'bat-team' provided information about bat biology, distributing educational and popular material like booklets, leaflets, posters and educational games for children. In order to enhance bat protection, citizens were suggested to leave bats undisturbed, which was accepted in all cases of colony occurrence, indicating that proper information and education efforts will result in an increasingly positive attitude towards bats by the general public.
2004
Chiroptera in urban areas: conflicts and coexistency. A pilot project in Varese province (Lombardy, N Italy) / Chirichella, Roberta; Mattiroli, S; Nodari, M; Preatoni, D; Tosi, G; Martinoli, A.. - In: NATURA. - ISSN 0369-6243. - 94:(2004), pp. 11-17.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11388/134513
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