Migrating bats cross top of Europe

• Main Authors: Zingg, Peter E, Bontadina, Fabio
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: PeerJ 2016
• Subjects: permafrost
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.7287/peerj.preprints.2557; https://peerj.com/preprints/2557.pdf; https://peerj.com/preprints/2557.xml; https://peerj.com/preprints/2557.html

Bats have evolved migration to escape unfavourable climatic conditions. However, their migratory flyways and the way how they surmount geographical barriers are still unknown. The Jungfraujoch in the Swiss Alps is a mountain covered in permafrost (3460m ASL), known colloquially as the “Top of Europe”. Using broadband ultrasound recorders, we tested the occurrence of bats at the high altitude research station. In 36 nights, we recorded 268 bat call sequences of 8 species, including all European long-distance migrant bats. Since no feeding buzzes were recorded, we assume the bats were on transit. This is the first evidence to show that migrating bats can fly at unprecedented altitudes to cross the Alps. This feat outperforms the spectacular behaviour of the high altitude foraging bat Tadarida brasiliensis . Our findings shed light on the bats’ migratory flyways and demonstrate that the field of aeroecology can still uncover unexpected perspectives on the behaviour of bats.