URGENT – Hessilhead Bat Conditioning & Rehabilitation Flight Pen

To aid busy staff at Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue Centre, Loch Lomond Bat Group; Islay & Jura Bat Rescue and Hushwing Ranger Service have set up this crowdfunder page for the very urgent build of an important wildlife facility needed by AUGUST 2026.

Last year alone, Hessilhead cared for over 200 bats from across Scotland. This year, as more centres struggle to accommodate bat pups, we are increasingly becoming the only place these vulnerable animals can go.

To give them the best possible chance of survival, we urgently need to build Scotland’s largest bat rehabilitation flight pen - the only one designed to meet current Bat Conservation Trust standards.

Help Us Build Scotland’s Largest Bat Conditioning & Rehabilitation Flight Pen.

Every summer, hundreds of orphaned and injured bats arrive at Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue Centre. Many are tiny pups weighing around 1g- completely dependent on specialist care to survive.

Bats are remarkable animals. They are the UK’s only true flying mammals and play a vital role in our ecosystems. A single common pipistrelle can eat around 3,000 midges in one night while weighing little more than a 2p piece– excellent value for money if you ask us!

But bats face many challenges. Habitat loss, development, domestic cats, and other human-related threats leave many needing rescue and rehabilitation.

Young bats require intensive care before they can return to the wild. Once they are old enough to fly, they must develop the strength, agility, and hunting skills needed to survive independently.

That is where our bat conditioning & rehabilitation flight pen comes in.

At present, there is no bat conditioning & rehabilitation flight pen in Scotland that meets current Bat Conservation Trust recommendations. Hessilhead is determined to change that. We are raising funds to build a purpose-built conditioning and rehabilitation flight pen that will be:

~ The only bat conditioning & rehabilitation flight pen in Scotland built to current Bat Conservation Trust standards;

~ The largest bat conditioning flight facility in Scotland;

~ A vital resource for bat carers, bat groups, wildlife rehabilitation organisations and Countryside Ranger Services across the country;

~ A lifeline for orphaned bat pups and injured adult bats preparing for release;

In recent years, increasing numbers of bat pups have required specialist care, while many rescue centres simply do not have the facilities or expertise needed to take them. As Scotland’s primary bat rehabilitation centre, Hessilhead is often the last remaining option for these vulnerable animals. Without a suitable conditioning flight pen, bats cannot safely build the fitness, flight skills, and confidence they need before release. This facility is not a luxury - it is an essential final stage of rehabilitation.

Your donation will help fund the construction of a large, durable flight cage and roosting area, providing a safe environment where bats can practise flying, improve their hunting abilities, and prepare for life back in the wild.

Every pound raised will directly support the future of bat rehabilitation in Scotland. By supporting this project, you are helping to ensure that orphaned bat pups, grounded adults, and injured bats from across the country have the very best chance of returning to the skies where they belong.

Thank you for helping us give Scotland’s bats a second chance.

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