Longleat Safari Park is set to reopen its bat cave in early 2025.

The attraction, which was closed in 2020 due to the covid-19 pandemic, will welcome around 30 Egyptian fruit bats.

Simon Askew, interim chief operating officer, said: "We have regularly heard from guests that they missed the bat cave, after we took the difficult decision to close it.

"The views of our visitors and our keepers are so important to helping us shape our approach to ensuring conservation and education is at the heart of what we do.

"Having had the opportunity to upgrade the previous bat habitat, we are delighted to be bringing it back in early 2025."

The announcement coincides with Bat Appreciation Week.

Darren Beasley, head of animal operations, said: "It is appropriate that we can announce this during Bat Appreciation Week; the Egyptian fruit bat is classified as near threatened and our work across the Safari Park is supporting conservation and protection of endangered species.

"This species uses echolocation – detecting sound waves – to navigate and identify the flying insects they eat.

"They are the only type of bat who can be heard clearly by people.

"These bats are amazing ambassadors for the native species in the UK.

"All the keepers are excited about continuing to engage with visitors about bats and their vital importance to the ecosystem so together we can dispel so many myths that seem to have developed regarding their behaviours."

The Egyptian fruit bat, known scientifically as Rousettus aegyptiacus, is native to Africa and the Middle East.

They were originally discovered in Egypt in 1810, roosting in the pyramids of Giza.

Bats are responsible for pollinating trees, flowers, and cacti, and they spread seeds so plants grow in new areas.

They pollinate avocados, bananas, breadfruit, dates, figs, mangos, and peaches.

Each bat can eat half its weight in insects a night, making them great at controlling large numbers of pests that harm crops and spread disease.

Chico and Truffles, Longleat's two-toed sloths, will move from Animal Adventure into the same area.

Longleat shared last week that the park has 14 different native species of bat, including three which are rare and four listed on the conservation red list for British mammals.

While the Egyptian fruit bat is currently classified as near threatened, it is likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future.