As of: February 22, 2024, 8:35 a.m
By: Kilian Bäuml
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The Alpine bat, once thought to be extinct, has been found in Baden-Württemberg.
A glimmer of hope for biodiversity in Germany.
Lauterstein – The Alpine bat, a mammal that weighs barely nine grams and has a wingspan of around 20 centimeters, is a rarity.
The Heinz Sielmann Foundation was able to confirm the existence of this bat species in a forest area near Lauterstein in the Göppingen district (Baden-Württemberg).
The Alpine bat was considered lost in Germany from 1951 to 2007, according to the foundation.
In fact, bats are survival artists and can even withstand temperatures as low as zero degrees.
Spectacular discovery in Germany: The Alpine bat has been found in a forest biotope near Lauterstein (Göppingen district).
© Dietmar Nill/dpa
The Federal Agency for Nature Conservation reports that the Alpine bat occurs at altitudes of up to 3,300 meters.
This means it holds the European altitude record for evidence of bats.
Despite its name, it can also be observed at sea level in the Mediterranean and can even be found in large cities in Italy.
In recent years there have been isolated reports of Alpine bats in Germany.
The “strongly rock-bound bat” appears to be expanding its range northward.
The first individual discoveries in Germany were made mainly in Saxony-Anhalt, North Rhine-Westphalia and Bavaria, a spokesman for the foundation told the
dpa
news agency .
The Alpine bat: A rare mammal returns to Germany
Scientists discovered the rare animal using an automatic bat call detector.
In addition to this remarkable find, a total of 19 bat species were recorded in the biotope, including the endangered gray long-eared bat.
Another research sensation is a bird species that briefly returned 180,000 years after it went extinct.
It remains uncertain whether the Alpine bat will become a permanent home in the foothills of the Swabian Alb.
“It remains to be seen whether it will develop in such a way that there will be a permanent existence there,” said the spokesman.
Regular monitoring is planned to determine this.
The long-beaked echidna, an animal with spines and mole feet, is as curious as it is shy.
After 60 years, a research team has now managed to get this animal in front of the camera again.
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