A rare bat that seven years ago strayed more than 100 miles from the species’ usual hunting grounds has at last found a mate.
The greater horseshoe bat, nicknamed Dean by wildlife experts, took up residence in a cave in North Wales with only the much smaller and more common lesser horseshoe bats for company.
Now Dean has been joined by a female greater horseshoe nicknamed Cinders, which is believed to have made the same 110-mile journey from Gloucestershire and heard his high-pitched call. Dean and Cinders now hang side by side in the mine entrance in Conwy, where naturalists hope that they will soon start to breed.
The bats are believed to have followed the same route north from their breeding grounds in the Forest of Dean. They are thought to be the world’s most northern specimens of the endangered species.
Greater horseshoe bats have declined by more than 90 per cent in the past century and, until the arrival of Dean and Cinders, had been confined to the South West of England.
Advertisement
Dean was named after Littledean Hall, the place where he was first ringed, and Cinders after the nearby colony at Cinderford, where she was ringed.
Until this pair relocated, the longest recorded journey by a greater horseshoe bat had been 25 miles.
David Priddis, who has spent decades monitoring the species, believes that their long-distance love story may be unique.
He said: “It’s very unusual for bats to travel such long distances and when Dean was found it was the longest flight recorded by the species in Britain. Dean and Cinders started out in adjoining mines, but now they are next to each other. They found each other because bats have very complicated, sophisticated sonar systems way above our hearing range, and the greater horseshoe’s is higher than most.
“The female is too young to breed at the moment but it’s very exciting because there is a good chance that in a few years they will breed and start a new colony.”
Advertisement
Bats normally hibernate all winter, but this year’s warm weather allowed Cinders to make the journey north to find Dean. However, Dean will have to find a warm summer home or Cinders may return south.
North Wales contains about half of Britain’s 14,000 lesser horseshoe bats, which live in abandoned mines, derelict stone buildings and ancient trees. Bats can live up to 30 years and are normally more faithful to their roosts than to each other.
The greater horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, has a wingspan of 34cm-39cm (13in-15in) and is identified by a horseshoe-shaped flap of skin around the mouth.
Its numbers have declined because of the use of pesticides and the destruction of habitats in which their prey, such as large moths and other flying insects, live.
Greater horseshoe
Advertisement
Identified by horseshoe-shaped flap of skin surrounding the nostrils
Lives in caves near scrub and trees away from human beings. Needs a series of caves for varied temperatures and air flow
Nursery roosts in attics in old buildings can contain 200 females
Hibernate from September/ October until April
Is on the verge of being a threatened species worldwide. Listed in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan
Advertisement
Source: University of Bristol