Bats of Alpi Marittime Nature Park (North West Italy) and Site of Community Importance IT1160056: distribution and status

Abstract

A survey of bats was carried out at Alpi Marittime Nature Park and more generally within Site of Community Importance (SIC) IT1160056 from April 1991 to January 2015, using different techniques such as: mist-netting, acoustic sampling and roost surveys. Twenty-one species of bats were detected (<em>Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, Rhinolophus hipposideros, Myotis bechsteinii, Myotis daubentonii, Myotis emarginatus, Myotis myotis, Myotis mystacinus, Myotis nattereri, Myotis oxygnathus, Pipistrellus kuhlii, Pipistrellus nathusii, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Pipistrellus pygmaeus, Nyctalus leisleri, Hypsugo savii, Eptesicus nilssonii, Eptesicus serotinus, Barbastella barbastellus, Plecotus auritus, Plecotus macrobullaris, Tadarida teniotis</em>). Species diversity is higher in this area than in other Alpine protected areas of a similar size. Records of <em>E. nilssonii</em>, <em>P. pygmaeu</em>s and <em>P.</em> <em>macrobullaris</em> in the study area contribute to the knowledge of the distribution of these species in Piedmont and more generally in Italy. In particular, thanks to records of <em>E.</em> <em>nilssonii</em>, its geographic range could be extended to the western part of the Alps whereas it previously seemed to be only present in the Central-Eastern Alps.