Wind turbine collisions killing hundreds of UK bats each month, study finds

Research suggests ecological impact assessments carried out for windfarms are not adequately predicting bat activity or risks

Hundreds of bats are being killed in collisions with wind turbines in the UK each month, despite ecological impact assessments predicting that many windfarms were unlikely to affect such animals, according to a new study.

All UK species of bats are protected by law, and ecological impact assessments - carried out before construction of windfarms or other sites - should weigh up the risks for local habitats and wildlife. But new research suggests that such assessments are simply not up to scratch.