New data on bats in the Paneriai tunnel (Vilnius, Lithuania)

• Main Author: Baranauskas, Kazimieras
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: Lithuanian; English
• Published: 2007
• Subjects: Bats; Hibernation; Paneriai tunnel; Vilnius; Barbastella barbastellus; Myotis nattereri; Natterer's bat
• Online Access: http://lmavb.lvb.lt/LMAVB:ELABAPDB5734642&prefLang=en_US

The species composition and abundance of hibernating bats were investigated in the Paneriai tunnel in Vilnius (Lithuania) in 2000-2007. The following seven bat species were found hibernating there: the Daubenton's bat (Myotis daubentonii), pond bat (Myotis dasycneme), Brandt's bat (Myotis brandtii), Natterer's bat (Myotis nattereri), brown long-eared bat (Plecotus auritus), barbastelle bat (Barbastella barbastellus), and the serotine bat (Epfesicus serotinus). In 2000 about 100 hibernating bats were recorded in the tunnel. During the following years their numbers increased, and reached over 700 in 2006-2007. Daubenton's bats constituted 63.1% of the colony, while the percentage of pond bats in the colony was 18.3%. In 2004 access to the Paneriai tunnel for human visitors was partly blocked by a 3 m high wall.