2008-03-26 10:15

25 species of bats in Poland

For many years, it was believed that there were only 21 species of bats in Poland. Many sources still quote this number, however, in recent years, four more bat species have been recorded in Poland – Andrzej Węgiel from the Polish Society for Bat Protection informed. It started with the common pipistrelle. Chiropterologists, while registering bat sounds with the aid of special detectors in 1994, noticed that common pipistrelles reveal a certain variability. Some specimens generated ultrasounds at a frequency between 45 kHz, while others emitted sounds at a frequency of 55 kHz. A genetic study of these animals in 1999 revealed that in fact, these were two species, though extremely similar, if not nearly identical to each other.

This way, a new species – the soprano pipistrelle (pipistrellus pygmaeus) - was noted and the number of bat species in Poland grew to 22.

Then, in 2004 another pipistrelle species was noted – a Kuhl’s pipistrelle (pipistrellus kuhlii). This species is found in southern Europe. It lives in the Mediterranean climate. In recent years, this bat has been expanding northwards. This way, the number of pipistrelle species in Poland totalled four, and the number of bat species in Poland rose to 23.

The pipistrelles were followed by mouse-eared bats. In 2005, a lesser mouse-eared bat was recorded in the Tatra Mountains. A net was set in the Black Cave and an adult male was caught in it. It was expected to find this species in Poland as similar sites were noted in bordering locations in Slovakia. This way, the number of bat species rose to 24.

The next species was also a mouse-eared bat. Genetic research revealed that two very similar species – Brandt’s bat and the whiskered bat are in fact three species, and a third species – the myotis alcathoe was also distinguished. This new species was first described in 2001 in Greece. In 2007, a scientific publication proved their presence in Poland and a few other European countries. This way, the number of species registered in Poland is currently 25.

A full list of bat species in Poland can be found on: www.nietoperze.pl

tot/bsz, tr.ajfb

Wersja do druku     Poleć stronę