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Lifespan, longevity, and ageing

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Maximum longevity: 11 years (wild)
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Biology

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Bats are the only true flying mammals. In Britain they are insectivorous (eat insects), and contrary to popular misconception they are not blind; many can actually see very well (6). All British bats use echolocation to orient themselves at night; they emit bursts of sound that are of such high frequencies they are beyond the human range of hearing and are therefore called 'ultrasound' (7). Bats listen to and interpret the echoes bounced back from objects, including prey, around them, allowing them to build up a 'sound-picture' of their surroundings (7). Nathusius's pipistrelles produce echolocation calls at frequencies between 38 and 70 kHz (5). They emerge during early dusk (2) and hunt with fast manoeuvrable flight, for flying insects (2). Mating takes place between late July and early September (2), during this time a single male defends a mating territory of 3 to 10 females against other males (2). Fertilisation is delayed until the following spring (6), as females store sperm inside their uterus (womb) during hibernation (8). In April and May maternity roosts of 50-200 females form (2). Two young are normally produced in late July, which are able to fly at 4 weeks of age (2). In autumn, many individuals undertake a migration to the southwest in order to escape the worst of the winter weather (6); occasionally individuals have covered distances of more than 1000 km in parts of Europe (7). This bat is known to live to a maximum of 7 years (2).
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Conservation

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In Britain, bats benefit from a comprehensive level of legal protection (4). Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act it is illegal to intentionally kill, injure, take or sell a bat, posses a live bat or part of a bat, to intentionally, or in England and Wales, recklessly damage obstruct or destroy access to bat roosts. Under the Conservation Regulations it is an offence to damage or destroy breeding sites or resting places. Fines of up to £5,000 per bat affected and six months imprisonment are in place for these offences (3). Several species of bat also benefit by the public putting bat boxes up. Research and proposals for conservation action have been made for this species under the Agreement on the Conservation of Bats in Europe (part of the Bonn Convention, or Convention on Migratory Species). This work will help to protect the transboundary habitats of this migratory species (9).
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Description

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Nathusius's pipistrelle is a small bat, with long wings (2). It was not known to breed in Great Britain until as recently as 1997 (8). The fur on the back is reddish brown during summer and moults to a darker brown in winter. The belly is a lighter, yellowish-brown throughout the year (2). The wing membranes, tail and short triangular ears are blackish-brown (2).
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Habitat

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A species of woodland, parks, and more rarely areas with human settlement (2). It is often found in riparian habitats (7). Maternity roosts occur in hollow trees and bat boxes, and hibernation takes place in crevices in cliffs, walls, hollow trees and caves (2).
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Range

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Occurs mainly in central and eastern Europe, with possible populations in Spain, Portugal, and Scandinavia. There are few records from Britain, all of which have been from south England (5). Breeding colonies are known in Lincolnshire and Northern Ireland (7), and the discovery of populations of Nathusius's pipistrelle is becoming more frequent (10).
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Status

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In Great Britain, all bats are fully protected under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) as amended, and by the Conservation (Natural Habitats etc) Regulations (1994). An agreement on the Conservation of Bats in Europe (EUROBATS) under the auspices of the Bonn Convention, also known as the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) is in force, and all European bats are listed under Appendix II of the CMS (4).
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Threats

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Like all bats, Nathusius's pipistrelle is vulnerable to a number of threats, including the loss of roost sites; hollow trees are often felled if thought unsafe or 'untidy'. Habitat change and loss, affecting the availability of insect prey and causing the fragmentation of feeding habitat is a serious problem for many bats, furthermore pesticide use has devastating effects, by causing severe declines in insect prey abundance, and contaminating food with potentially fatal toxins (4).
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Associations

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Animal / parasite / ectoparasite
Nycteribia kolenatii ectoparasitises Pipistrellus nathusii
Remarks: Other: uncertain
Other: minor host/prey

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Brief Summary

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The Nathusius' pipistrelle closely resembles the common pipistrelle, but is slightly larger and more robust. It can fly large distances between its summer and winter homes. Some Nathusius' pipistrelles fly 1500 to 2000 kilometers from northeastern Europe in order to hibernate in the Netherlands. A bat caught in Friesland was found later in Normandy. Nathusius' pipistrelles also cross the North Sea. A bat found in Friesland had been tagged a year earlier along the English southwest coast.
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Nathusius's pipistrelle

provided by wikipedia EN

Wikispecies has information related to Pipistrellus nathusii.

Nathusius' pipistrelle (Pipistrellus nathusii) is a small bat in the genus Pipistrellus. It is very similar to the common pipistrelle and has been overlooked in many areas until recently but it is widely distributed across Europe. It was described by two German naturalists, Alexander Keyserling and Johann Heinrich Blasius, and named by them after Hermann von Nathusius, in gratitude for his support of their research.

Description

The length of the head and body is 46–55 mm and the wingspan is 220–250 mm. It has a forearm length of 32–40 mm and weighs about 6–15.5g. The fifth finger is longer than 43 mm.[2] Its fur is medium-dark reddish-brown above, often with paler tips, and is pale brown below. The fur is longer and less uniformly-coloured than the common pipistrelle. It is also larger than the common pipistrelle with broader wings. The face, ears, wings and tail are dark.

Distribution

Nathusius' pipistrelle occurs from Western Europe eastward as far as the Ural Mountains, Turkey and the Caucasus. It is highly migratory with individuals from northern and eastern areas moving south-west for the winter. Preferred habitats are parkland and light woodland, often near water.

It is generally commoner in Central and Eastern Europe. In the west it is mainly a rare winter visitor but new breeding colonies have been found in several areas in recent years. In Ireland and Britain it was previously thought to be a vagrant with only a handful of records including several from oil rigs in the North Sea. It is now known to breed at several sites in Britain and Ireland.[3]

Threats to the species include the loss of hollow trees and toxic chemicals from the treatment of timber in buildings. However, it is a protected species in many countries and breeds successfully in bat boxes.

Diet and reproduction

It emerges early to hunt, flying in straight lines with rapid, deep wingbeats at around 3 to 15 metres above the ground. It feeds on small to medium-sized flying insects, particularly chironomid midges.

Breeding colonies are located in hollow trees, bat boxes and sometimes in buildings. Mating takes place from July to early September when males gather a harem of females in their mating territory. In spring the females gather at nursery roosts where they give birth to two young.

Echolocation

The frequencies used by this bat species for echolocation lie between 36–62 kHz, have most energy at 41 kHz and have an average duration of 6.9 ms.[4]

References

  1. ^ Paunović, M.; Juste, J. (2016). "Pipistrellus nathusii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T17316A22132621. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T17316A22132621.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Pipistrellus nathusii", Science for Nature Foundation
  3. ^ Sleeman,D.P. and Carlsson,J. p.1. in Sleeman, D.P., Carlsson, J and Carlsson, J.F.L. (eds) 2014. Mind the Gap II: new insights into the Irish postglacial. Irish Naturalists' Journal, Belfast. ISBN 978-0-9569704-8-0
  4. ^ Obrist, M.K., Boesch, R. and Flückiger, P.F. (2004) 'Variability in echolocation call design of 26 Swiss bat species: Consequences, limits and options for automated field identification with a synergic pattern recognition approach.' Mammalia., 68 (4): 307–32.
  • Frank Greenaway & A. M. Hudson (1990) A Field Guide to British Bats, Bruce Coleman Books, Uxbridge
  • Jon Russ (2004) Nathusius' pipistrelle in Great Britain & Ireland (retrieved 15/01/07)
  • Wilfried Schober & Eckard Grimmberger (1993) Hamlyn Guide: Bats of Britain and Europe, Hamlyn, London.
  • R. E. Stebbings & Francesca Griffith (1986) Distribution and Status of Bats in Europe, Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, Huntingdon.

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Nathusius's pipistrelle: Brief Summary

provided by wikipedia EN
Wikispecies has information related to Pipistrellus nathusii.

Nathusius' pipistrelle (Pipistrellus nathusii) is a small bat in the genus Pipistrellus. It is very similar to the common pipistrelle and has been overlooked in many areas until recently but it is widely distributed across Europe. It was described by two German naturalists, Alexander Keyserling and Johann Heinrich Blasius, and named by them after Hermann von Nathusius, in gratitude for his support of their research.

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