Rare pond bat discovered in Saxon Switzerland

The rare pond bat has been discovered in the Saxon Switzerland National Park. Together with volunteer bat experts, a nature conservation specialist from the national park and forestry administration observed the animal in its winter quarters at the beginning of February, according to Sachsenforst. The species is therefore one of the rarest bat species in Saxony and Germany.

Acoustic evidence of the high-frequency calls of the pond bat near Schmilka was already recorded last summer. The species was confirmed for the first time in Saxon Switzerland in 2020 during a netting campaign. A nursery roost is not yet known, i.e. its reproduction has not yet been proven on site. However, observations in the winter roost suggest that the species is more common there.

For more than 30 years, the national park and forest administration has been monitoring the winter roosts of bats with the support of volunteers. They monitor the populations of the various species and get an idea of the condition of the roosts in order to identify any problems with hibernation.