Bat guano clean-ups were carried out in 4 churches

During the winter time, when bats hibernate in caves or cellars, it is the optimal time for bat guano clean-up action with the aim to remove bat droppings and to improve the attitude toward bats. In the start of 2020 such actions were carried out in 4 churches within Natura 2000 area Goričko.  

Church of the Assumption of Mary, Grad
The attic of the Church of the Assumption of Mary at the Grad is the largest bat roost of the Greater mouse-eared bat (Myotis myotis) within the Natura 2000 area Goričko. At least 80 of 180 adult bats of this maternity group gave birth in 2019. The number of bats in the maternity group is slowly increasing from year to year. In 2014, there were 96 adult bats and in 138 bats in 2018. In order to keep the attic and the bell tower in favourable state, the Parish of Grad and the Goričko Nature park Public Institute agreed to carry out the action for bat guano removal from the so called ship of the church  and from the bell tower. Moreover the wooden platform above the bells was installed to intercept the guano from falling on the bells and the bell mechanism. Prior to that, in December 2018, new lights with special masks were installed next to the church. This lights illuminate only the facade of the church and therefore does not harm the bats. The dropping were cleaned-up already in March 2019, but in January 2020 about 30 kg of droppings were removed as a result of bat roosting in Summer of 2019. Moreover each floor in the tower was protected with plastic foil.

 
Wooden platform for protection of bells againt bat droppings (photo: G. Domanjko)

Evangelical Church, Gornji Petrovci
In January 2020 employees of Nature park Goričko together with local volunteers removed pigeon and bat guano from the Evangelical Church in Gornji Petrovci. This church is home to a small group of the Serotine bat (Eptesicus serotinus), which in 2019 numbered a total of 18 adult bats and cubs. The amount of removed guano was estimated between 100 and 120 kg of pigeon and bat guano.


Big amount of pigeon guano (photo: G. Domanjko)


Group of Serotine bats (photo: G. Domanjko)

St. Nicholas Church, Dolenci
In February 2020 cleaning actions continued in the St. Nicholas Church in Dolenci. In the past this church was known as one of the roosts of greater mouse-eared bat. In 1999 there was a group of 30 bats, but then their numbers began to decline. In 2003, only 15 bats were counted, while in 2007 and 2014 bats were no longer found at all. According to experts, the reasons for the decline are not exactly known (Presetnik, 2015). The locals still remember the large clusters of bats in the church of (Presetnik, 2018). In recent years some individual bats occasionally find refuge in the church. In addition, pigeons often occupy churches and because they nest all year round, they create huge amount of pigeon guano. In order to improve the situation for bats, huge amount of guano was removed.

The amount of guano had accumulated together for one smaller trailer (photo: G. Domanjko)

Church of the Assumption of Mary, Markovci
The Church of the Assumption of Mary in Markovci is also a roost of the greater mouse-eared bat. Some traces of bat presence can already be found, but after replacement of the window shutters later this year, allowing bats to fly-in easier, the increase in bat numbers is to be expected. Plastic foil was also placed to protect the wooden parts of the roof construction.

  

Some before-after comparisons can be seen in photos.