Tadarida teniotis

Photographer:
Leonardo Ancillotto

Species authority:

Rafinesque, 1814

(EN) European Free-tailed Bat; (FR) Molosse de Cestoni; (DE) Europäische Bulldoggfledermaus; (ES) Murciélago rabudo;

Class:

MAMMALIA

Order:

CHIROPTERA

Family:

Molossidae

Species details:

The European Free-tailed bat is a large, robust bat with a wingspan of 400-450 mm, long broad ears and velvety black-grey fur. Another characteristic is its tail, which extends beyond the membrane and has a sensory function.

This species occurs in mountainous regions and urban areas and is known to forage fast while in flight. Its diet comprises of flying insects: moths, hawk moths, seasonal Diptera, lacewings and beetles.

T. teniotis is known to be sedentary and to dwell in rock crevices in cliffs, caves and bridges during both summer and winter.

IUCN status:

Least concem

Population Trend:

Unknown according to the IUCN Red List.

Geographic Range:

Well known in the Mediterranean basin, occurring from Portugal, Spain (also Canaries except Fuerteventura and Lanzarote) eastwards through southern Europe to the Balkans, Türkiye, Israel, Palestine and Jordan. In North Africa it has been recorded in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisa, Libya and Egypt.

Threats:

Negatively affected by disturbance and loss of roosts in buildings, deforestation (in parts of the range), use of pesticides and potentially threatened by wind farms.

Publications:

UNEP/EUROBATS

Agreement on the Conservation of Populations of European Bats

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Agreement on the Conservation
of Populations of European Bats