Thursday, July 06, 2006

Counting bats in Parliament

There is something batty going on inside the Palace of Westminster, home of Britain's Parliament, and it is got nothing to do with political shenanigans.

In a first, the Bat Conservation Trust will deploy inside the gothic-style premises in central London next Monday to determine exactly how many bats live beneath its rafters, towers and gargoyles.

"We're hoping the evening will demonstrate that bats and people can and do live in harmony - whether it be in our palaces, our churches, our homes or our barns," said Amy Coyle, the charity's chief executive.

The trust is planning a nationwide bat count later this month to take stock of the 17 species of bat which live in Britain - the most common being pipistrelles, typically just five centimetres (two inches) long.

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