Barbastelle Bat
| Barbastelle | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Vespertilionidae |
| Genus: | Barbastella |
| Species: | B. barbastellus |
| Binomial name | |
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Barbastella barbastellus (Schreber, 1774) |
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The barbastelle (Barbastella barbastellus), also known as the western barbastelle, is a European bat. It has a short nose, small eyes and wide ears.
It is rare throughout its range. In Britain, only a few breeding roosts are known; Paston Great Barn in Norfolk, parts of Exmoor and the in Devon and Somerset (see Tarr Steps), Wimpole Wood in Cambridgeshire, the Mottisfont woodland in Hampshire and Ebernoe Common in West Sussex. The UK distribution can be found on the National Biodiversity Network website here. In Norway, it was considered extinct, having only been sighted in 1896, 1911, 1913 and 1949. However, it was again found in 2004 and 2008.
In The Netherlands the last Barbastelle was seen hibernating in 1991, in Flanders (Belgium) the species survived a few years longer, but was also considered extinct until a small population was rediscovered in 2015.
They roost in splits or behind loose bark of trees all year, normally in ancient or old growth deciduous woods that have a substantial understorey. Damaged or dead trees are the ideal habitat. They move between the roosts with great frequency.
They are protected under the European Habitats Directive. In the UK their rarity means that Woodlands containing the species may be considered for notification as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and may attract a grant under Natural Englands Environmental Stewardship scheme.
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Wikipedia