Jersey Zoo has introduced a bat-friendly garden to support local bat species and their habitats.
Unveiled during Bat Week, the garden includes bee and bug hotels, insect-friendly plants, and 30 colourful wooden bats painted by children from a local nursery. Designed by the zoo's keepers and site services team, the garden showcases features that people can incorporate into their own outdoor spaces to attract bats.
Mammal keeper Nicola Shaw explained, “We transformed an unused area into our bat-friendly garden, making it an ideal spot to keep our local island bats happy and healthy.” Bat Week, an international event, promotes awareness about the importance of bat conservation.
The garden is located near the zoo’s Bat Island Roost, which hosts about 8% of the global population of the endangered Livingstone’s fruit bat.
Expressing her passion for bat conservation, Ms. Shaw said, “Working with Livingstone’s fruit bats has given me a deep understanding of how much these incredible animals contribute to our environment.”