MOPEK ZACHODNI BARBASTELLA BARBASTELLUS. BIOLOGIA I OCHRONA GATUNKU

The Barbastelle Bat Barbastella barbastellus. Biology and conservation The book summarizes the state of knowledge about the biology of the Barbastelle bat, as well as its habitat requirements and threats. It also includes recommendations for the conservation of the species, based on available scientific literaturę and the many years of experience of the authors. The Barbastelle is a Palaearctic species, found over nearly all of Europe (Fig. 6). However, in many regions of its occurrence, there is a lack of information on the trends and population status of this bat. Based on the available data, it can be concluded that in most countries the species is rare and shows a declining trend. The Barbastelle bat has most frequently been recorded in Central Europe: Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. In Poland, the Barbastelle is most abundant in the eastern, central and southwestern regions (Fig. 7). In other parts of the country it seems to be rare. Currently, its population is assessed as stable or with a slight upward trend. On the basis of the results of winter bat counts in regularly monitored underground roosts, the population of this bat is estimated at a minimum of 13,900 individuals (Table 1). As of 2023, 93 Natura 2000 areas in Poland list the Barbastelle as one of their objects of protection (Table 2, Fig. 8). In 82 of these areas, the bat’s population size is assigned category C (i.e., it is 0–2% of the national population). In Natura 2000 areas in Poland, the population is mainly protected during winter (in 53 areas), while during the breeding season the species is protected in 39 areas. This is not enough for the effective protection of the Barbastelle bat. It is necessary to undertake protection efforts on a larger scale, ensuring favourable conservation status during breeding, wintering and migration periods. The Barbastelle is a forest-dwelling bat species that frequently switches roosts (it prefers dead and dying trees). To provide an adequate number of roosts, it is necessary to leave as many old and dying trees as possible standing in woodlands and forests. Where old trees are lacking, an effective measure to increase the number of roosts for breeding colonies is to install artificial shelters – crevice boxes (Appendix), which should be hung in groups of several in one place (Fig. 42). For the protection of this cold-loving bat species, it is important to protect the underground roosts where they hibernate. Protection should include large underground objects, but also smaller, shallower objects that cool down quickly, such as bunkers and cellars. Adaptation of such objects to the role of wintering sites for bats is particularly important in lowland areas, where natural undergrounds (caves) are scarce. It also becomes increasingly important for the protection of cryophilic, sedentary bat species (such as the Barbastelle), in the context of the present climate change. The Barbastelle has a short echolocation range and generally avoids open areas devoid of landmarks. Thus, one of the biggest threats to this bat species is habitat fragmentation. It is crucial to preserve linear landscape elements in the form of treelines, hedgerows, riverbank vegetation etc., which will provide safe flight paths between habitat patches used by bats and also make contact between individuals from neighboring areas possible.