VWTImpactReport28Oct2025PT - Flipbook - Page 8
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VWT led the 昀椀rst Irish
Stoat Citizen Science
Survey 2023-2025, which
brought in 816 validated
records — these will help
build a clearer picture
of the island-wide
distribution of this
endemic sub-species.
VWT safeguards the largest
known colony of greater
horseshoe bats in western
Europe, grown from 200 in 1980
to a record count
of 2,466 adults in 2020.
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VWT’s national
polecat survey, which
started in the early
1990s, shows polecats
recovering in many
parts of Britain.
VWT conducted the 昀椀rst radio-tracking studies
on lesser horseshoe bats in 1996, revealing the
importance of woodland and scrub for this species.
VWT has been working with Scottish
Natural Heritage (now NatureScot)
to monitor pine marten recovery
in Scotland. Surveys con昀椀rm the
range has expanded south and
east of the Highlands, as well as
a return to many parts of their
former ranges in central and
eastern Scotland.
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VWT’s water vole surveys
provided the 昀椀rst national baseline
— highlighting strongholds and
areas of severe decline.
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A new acoustic monitoring method developed by one of VWT’s PhD
students, has enabled VWT to collect more than 1,500 new acoustic
records for the rare barbastelle bat at 17 sites in Pembrokeshire,
increasing knowledge of distribution and connectivity.
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In 2021, VWT published
a ten-year strategy for
long-term pine marten
recovery in Britain.
This ensures future
proposed recovery projects
follow clear decisionmaking processes to
safeguard the future of
pine martens in Britain.
Vincent Weir donated
more than £120 million
to support conservation in Britain,
Ireland and mainland Europe
to bring threatened species
back from the brink.
VWT’s American mink surveys
in the late 1980s and
mid-1990s quanti昀椀ed the
threat to water voles from
this non-native species.
Vincent Wildlife Trust 50 Years Impact Report 2025
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VWT developed a system
in Ireland to exclude pine martens from
game and poultry pens.
Shared on pinemarten.ie, this valuable
resource for promoting and supporting
human-pine marten co-existence
has been accessed more than
80,000 times.
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Under VWT
management,
lesser horseshoe bat
populations in Britain
have increased by
188% compared
with 51% in roosts
elsewhere.
