Lesser horseshoe bat
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| Rhinolophus hipposideros (Bechstein, 1800) |
The Lesser Horseshoe Bat (Latin name Rhinolophus hipposideros), is a type of European bat related to but smaller than its cousin, the Greater Horseshoe Bat. The species gets its name from its distinctive horseshoe-shaped nose.
The Lesser Horseshoe Bat is one of the world's smallest bats, weighing only 5 to 9 grams, with a wingspan of 192-254 mm and a body length of 35-45 mm. It has strong feet that it uses to grasp rocks and branches, and can see well in spite of its small eyes. Like most bats, Lesser Horseshoe Bats live in colonies and hunt their prey by echolocation, emitting ultrasound from specialized round pads in their mouth.
When hunting they are quick and agile, often flying within five metres of the ground while avoiding contact with bushes and shrubs. The Lesser Horseshoe Bat eats small insects, most of which are gleaned from stones and branches. Their favorite types of prey include flies, moths, and spiders.
Lesser Horseshoe Bats mate in the autumn. Females give birth to one pup, normally between mid-June and the beginning of July. Pups become independent at six to seven weeks of age. The bats hibernate during the winter months in dark caves, mines, old buildings, and sometimes in cellars.
This species is in decline due to a number of factors, including the disturbance or destruction of roosts, changes in agricultural practices (such as the increased use of insecticides, which reduce prey availability) and the loss of suitable foraging habitats.
[edit] References
- Jacobs et al (2004). Rhinolophus hipposideros. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of least concern
