Lesser Horseshoe Bat. Image credit: Vincent Wildlife Trust.

On Monday 8th September, Manx National Heritage will host a fascinating talk by Dr Kate McAney, Mammal Programme Manager at Vincent Wildlife Trust, a leading expert on the Lesser Horseshoe Bat.

This rare and elusive bat species was discovered on the Isle of Man in 2019, confirming an earlier sighting over a decade earlier. The species was not one of those previously known to be resident on the island, with the discovery bringing the total number of bat species recorded for the Isle of Man to nine.

Historically the species had a wide distribution across the UK, but now the total population of about 15,000 individuals is confined to Wales and western England, with a further 12,000 in western Ireland.

About the size of a plum with their wings folded, Lesser Horseshoe Bats are one of the smallest bats in the UK. Their average weight is an astonishing 4 - 9.5g. They have a fleshy, horseshoe-shaped nose leaf which is related to its intricate echolocation system. They use this high frequency echolocation call to detect prey, typically emerging 20 - 50 minutes after sunset.

Laura McCoy, Curator for Natural History at Manx National Heritage said:

“During this evening talk, Dr Kate McAney will share her insights into the mysterious lives of the Lesser Horseshoe Bat, from roosting habits to conservation successes. We’ll also be offering the opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at bat specimens from Manx National Heritage that help protect these amazing animals”.

Since joining the Vincent Wildlife Trust in 1991, Dr McAney has led winter and summer roost surveys of the species in six counties in the west of Ireland. In 1998 the Trust bought its first Lesser Horseshoe Bat roost in County Galway and since then Kate has set up a total of 12 protected sites for the species in four counties.

Dr McAney led the Trust’s most recent project to create new roosts for the species in Limerick, one of which was recently occupied by horseshoe bats. Kate currently sits on the Steering Committee of Ireland’s Lesser Horseshoe Bat Species Action Plan and is also on the committee of Dark Sky Ireland.

The talk takes place on Monday 8th September 2025 at iMuseum on Kingswood Grove, Douglas. Doors open at 6.30pm for 7pm start.  Tickets cost £5, available from manxnationalheritage.im/whats-on.

Please note, this is not a Friends of Manx National Heritage Event. Tickets can be purchased from Manx National Heritage manxnationalheritage.im/whats-on.