Evidence-based bat conservation measures: example 1
Bat conservation in Mina de Can Rabella, Spain
Type of example:
Best practice case / positive example of bat conservation
Name of the underground site:
Mina de Can Rabella
Site location:
Spain, Catalonia, Molins de Rei, Collserola Natural Park
Type of underground site:
Mine
The site is used by bats:
In spring / for transit, In autumn / for transit
Legal protection of the site:
Legally protected
Brief description of the legal protection status of the site:
The site is inside the natural park
Conservation measure implemented:
1. Warning sign / board
2. Flooding the entrance with water twice per year, and creating difficulties to access the entrance
Year(s) or exact date(s) of implementing conservation measure:
2013
Bat species targeted by the conservation measures:
Miniopterus schreibersii
Details of the conservation measures:
Label indicating "Danger falling rocks", plus flooding the entrance of the mine twice per year during the periods when Miniopterus schreibersii uses the underground roost, plus modify the access to create difficulties to enter the mine.
The situation before implementing the conservation measures:
The numbers recorded of the colony were rapidly decreasing (from 400 to 50), probably due to the increase of human disturbance, people entering the cave, doing fire inside, etc. The increase of human disturbance was probably related to the fact that the mine entrance, usually covered by water, dried almost completely due to some external sand and soil movements.
The situation after implementing the conservation measures:
The numbers of the colony increased again and stabilized at around 400.
Challenges encountered during implementation:
The water we used to cover the entrance was extracted from the nearby river, and therefore, a bomb truck was needed to do it efficiently. This river was the one naturally providing the same water to the mine before the soil movements.
Challenges encountered after implementation:
Regularity of the implementation. The flooding is not permanent, and therefore, there should always be someone responsible for this action.
Details about citation:
Data is stored at www.batmonitoring.org
Attached media:
Example provided by:
Adrià López-Baucells, Natural Sciences Museum of Granollers, Spain