- Light sensors have been installed that detect and count people who enter different caves linked to hydraulic installations in Catalonia, in the region of La Noguera.
- The information obtained through these devices will be cross-checked with that collected by the recorders and cameras, all to find out if the human presence affects these colonies and to what extent.
- The action is part of the Endesabats programme, which is part of Endesa's Biodiversity Conservation Plan, and which has been developed by the Centre for Forest Science and Technology of Catalonia (CTFC) during the last 10 years. The aim is to contribute to the conservation of this group of protected species.
Does human presence affect the development of a bat colony? And if it does, to what extent? To answer these two questions, technicians from the Centre for Forest Science and Technology of Catalonia (CTFC) installed light sensors in 4 caves linked to hydraulic installations where there are colonies of bats, all of them in Catalonia, in the region of La Noguera. These devices, together with the existing sound recorders and photo trap cameras, will enable data to be cross-checked to determine to what extent the movement of people in the bat colonies has an impact (or not). The action is a feature of the Endesabats programme, a project that is part of Endesa's Biodiversity Conservation Plan and has been developed by the CTFC during the last 10 years with the aim of studying and contributing to the conservation of this group of protected species.
In practice, the sensors designed by the CTFC enable light variations to be recorded. That is, they are able to register any increase in Lumens (illumination) from a threshold that is determined for each cave. The data, which will be stored, will subsequently be analysed by experts and it will be possible to know the number of daily visits to the cavity and this will enable a frequency index for humans will be obtained. The objective is to establish whether this frequentation is related to the population of bats found in the caves studied over the months and to assess whether there needs to be a different kind of management. It will also enable a better analysis of how bats react to human presence at the two times of the year when they are especially vulnerable: During hibernation (December to March) and the breeding season (May to August).
The installation of these devices will enable a qualitative leap to be taken and to continue expanding the Endesabats project with the aim of continuing to study this group of species and improve their habitat, while obtaining more scientific information of great value to contribute to their conservation. In the same locations there are also photo-trap cameras and recorders that record the ultrasounds of bats during the first two hours of the night in order to estimate the daily, or weekly, population of bats and to have more information on the behaviour of the colonies of bats to know, for example, when they arrive, when they go hunting, when they breed and between which shelters they move during the year. Technology helps provide a more complete x-ray of the bat colonies.
This year the Endesabats programme is celebrating its 10th anniversary and in these years of study and data collection Endesa has been incorporating a number of actions to adapt its hydraulic installations and to be able to work in favour the population of bats. The most outstanding measures include the conditioning of the entrances to tunnels, the placement of boxes for shelter and the reduction of luminosity at what for them are critical points.
Bats are one of the most unknown groups of mammals in Europe whilst being the second most diverse. All species of bats are protected by law and many of them are endangered. Bats are insectivores and so they are a key species in ecosystems and a great ally of agriculture and forestry to control insect pests.
About Endesabats
The Endesabats project was started in 2013 and 10 years later Endesa continues to be a commitment within the framework of the Biodiversity Conservation Plan. Specifically, technicians from the Centre for Forest Science and Technology of Catalonia (CTFC) have been responsible for the project from the beginning, visiting tunnels, corridors, buildings and cavities at Endesa's installations where bats were already known to exist or where some bats have been found for the first time. Endesabats has great scientific value, both for the new and valuable data on the biology and distribution of bats in the areas studied and for the amount of information on the ecology, phenology and population status of threatened species. All this contributes significantly to the conservation of these threatened species, while enabling Endesa to make improvements in its installations to help the colonies that inhabit them.
Endesabats is also committed to monitoring highly endangered species such as the big-footed bat which is an endangered species and linked to aquatic ecosystems and underground galleries near rivers and swamps. Endesa is committed to monitoring them and provides solutions and improvements for their conservation within the territory. It is essential to continue working on the study and dissemination of these mammals, since they represent a direct benefit for ecosystems because of the key role they play as regulators of insect populations and possible pests for forests and agriculture. All this confirms the importance and contribution that the Company's installations, including hydroelectric power plants and large buildings, make to the conservation of the populations of bats.
About Endesa
Endesa is the largest electricity company in Spain and the second largest in Portugal. The company is also the second largest gas operator in the Spanish market. Endesa operates an end-to-end generation, distribution and marketing business. Through Endesa X it also offers value-added services aimed at the electrification of energy usage in homes, companies, industries and Public Administrations. Endesa is firmly committed to the United Nations SDGs and strongly supports the development of renewable energies through Enel Green Power España, the digitalisation of grids through e-distribución and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The Endesa Foundation is also active in CSR. Our workforce numbers around 9,260 employees. Endesa is a division of Enel, Europe’s largest electricity group.