There are more bats!

The negative downward trend observed since 2008 has been finally reversed. According to the initial data collected during this year’s action the bat population has increased by 8 thousand. Doctor Tomasz Kokurewicz – the coordinator of the action, claims that chiropterologists are satisfied with the results. In his opinion the growth of the bat population is the result of protecting the undergrounds with specially installed bars, which is an achievement of the Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection in Gorzów Wielkopolski. Additionally the exceptionally mild winter is also creating favorable conditions.

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Long-standing research conducted by workers of the University of Environmental and Life Sciences in Wrocław cooperating with chiropterologists (zoologists dealing with making research concerning bats) from the Bat Marking Center in Dresden have proven that bats come to the undergrounds of the central part of the fortified military defense line between Odra and Warta rivers from a big area of Central-European Lowlands, the area of at least 17 000 square meters. The maximum distance of their passages reaches 260 km, which is the best prove for the significance of the undergrounds for wintering of those mammals. That is the reason why their protection in the Area Natura 2000 “Nietoperek” has an international significance, and its effectiveness influences the number of bats in a very big area of Central Europe. Due to this fact the work on the Plan of Protection of the Area Natura 2000 “Nietoperek” is monitored by the Directorate General for the Environment (EU Commission).

The most numerous group of participants of this year’s count were the chiropterologists form the Western Europe (41 people). There were 31 people from Poland. Similarly to the last year the biggest group was from Great Britain (18 people), but there were also chiropterologists from Germany (8 people), Holland (4 people), Belgium (7 people), Finland (3 people), and the Ukraine (1 person).

The most numerous group from Poland were the chiropterologists form Wrocław (the University of Environmental and Life Sciences and Wrocław University) and from Gdańsk (Gdańsk University). There were also chiropterologists from Warsaw (Forest Research Institute) and from Olsztyn (Univeristy of Warmia and Mazury).