Lesser horseshoe bat

About

The Lesser horseshoe bat is one of the smallest bats in the world: it weighs only 4–9 g, and its wingspan is about 19–25 cm. The name comes from the leathery growth around the nostrils in the shape of a horseshoe. Like other bats, it navigates and hunts using ultrasound - echolocation, and its wings are very broad, short, and rounded.

In Ukraine, the northern limit of its distribution runs through the country. It is mainly found in the foothills and low mountains, particularly in Zakarpattia, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Lviv regions. It hibernates in underground cavities - caves, adits, tunnels, grottos, and in summer, females gather in maternity colonies in attics, bell towers, shaded places under bridges over mountain streams, and even in tree hollows. Young are born at the end of June - beginning of July, and the bat can live up to 17.5 years.

The bat flies out to hunt at dusk, 20–25 minutes after sunset, and quickly and skillfully flies low over the ground, avoiding bushes. It mainly feeds on small dipterans and moths. It does not leave its roost in strong winds and rain.

The main threats to the species are disturbance and destruction of roosts, particularly underground cavities and old buildings, as well as pesticides, which reduce insect populations. Therefore, the locations of hibernation and maternity colonies of Lesser horseshoe bats are not disclosed, and bats in caves and attics should not be disturbed, illuminated, or photographed up close. The Lesser horseshoe bat is listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine as a vulnerable species, and in the EU, it is included in Annexes II and IV of the Habitats Directive.

Where in the Carpathians

The map shows where naturalists recorded the species (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY records), not every place it lives. The Ukrainian Carpathians are less studied, so a blank area does not mean the species is absent. For rare and vulnerable species the map is deliberately coarse (hexagons of ~250 km² or more) so that it never points to dens, nests or growing sites.

Countries

Ukraine · Romania · Slovakia · Hungary · Poland

Mountain ranges

Pădurea Craiului, Skole Beskids, Rivna Polonyna, Călimani and Bârgău Mountains, Maramureș Mountains, Pokuttia-Bukovina Carpathians, Bieszczady, Bükk, Bihor-Vlădeasa Mountains, Slovak Central Mountains

Altitude belts

Foothills (below 600 m) · Beech forests (600–1200 m)

When to see it

From naturalists’ observations in the Carpathians (iNaturalist, research grade): the darker the cell, the more often the species is seen that month.

Safety

Bats should not be handled with bare hands: if you find a helpless bat, contact chiropterologists or the nearest nature conservation facility. Do not disturb or illuminate sleeping bats in caves and attics.

Protection and rules

A species in the Red Data Book of Ukraine; also protected by the Habitats Directive and the Agreement on the Conservation of Populations of European Bats (EUROBATS), of which Ukraine is a participant. Do not disturb or disclose roosts.

Red Data Book of Ukraine

FAQ