Zoologists Administration of NP and PLA monitors the status of bat populations at hibernation sites throughout the Bohemian Forest.
Experts in these days add up bats in places where our only flying mammals hibernate. Bats, of course, only visually check that they are not unnecessarily disturbed during hibernation, determine their type and number. The final results will be known until early April.
But it is already clear that their numbers in the Šumava mountains still slightly increasing. Except for some species such as Long-bat.
"There was a slight increase in the number of bats not only in the national park, but practically the whole Šumava, including its foothills. Bats are a model group of specially protected species of animals and a very interesting group of mammals, which are moreover sensitive indicators of environmental change and the health of the landscape, "said Ludek Bufka zoologist of the National Park Šumava, which carries out monitoring bat population.
Together with Pošumavím is regularly monitored about 80 wintering. Currently, the National Park and Protected Landscape Area Šumava are two very important wintering area, home to hundreds of bats around during the winter and then another several dozen individuals.
The main part of the monitoring is regular monitoring of bat wintering supplemented in different years, more or less intensively by other research methods: control of summer colonies, capture in nets or work with a bat detector.
Wintering grounds are usually counted once, exceptionally several times in the winter - the most contended locations include near Kašperské Hor, dryer or tunnel Schwarzenberg canal. "This year's warm winter is reflected in smaller numbers of individuals of some species on the main wintering yet probably make greater use of alternative small shelters, "says Ludek Bufka.
Šumava is an area where research and monitoring of bats long tradition and brings a number of interesting and valuable information. This research zoologists first started in the sixties of the last century.
The Šumava now live 17 kinds of bats. The largest bats are great, water and Natterer. Throughout the Czech Republic, then the experts have recorded eight species more, all bat species are strictly protected.
Besides the number of bats and re-capture of ringed individuals is one of the most valuable results of regular catches of rare forest species such as Bechstein's bat (Myotis bechsteinii) or Brandt's bat (Myotis brandtii). Use a bat detector was monitored communities and hunting activities on šumavských Slate or recorded occurrence of rare species of cavity such as a bat tree (Nyctalus leisleri).
The most interesting results related to monitoring of bats in recent years can be considered as:
1) The findings confirm a significant increase in numbers of local isolated populations of rare lesser horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros)
2) rare findings strongly thermophilic Geoffroy bat (Myotis emarginatus)
3) increase in abundance park bat (Pipistrellus nathusii) and the findings of migrant individuals from Latvia
4) The total increase or at least steady state populations of common species of bats.
"Since bats are among the extremely interesting, but also vulnerable and protected species, are suitable model group and it is very important to monitor long-term trends in their abundance. For effective protection of bats is important to preserve their natural environment and the crucial protection of their hiding places. "Says zoologist Ludek Bufka.
Source: tz NP Šumava
Author: Pavel Pechoušek
