Evidence for Ussurian tube-nosed bats (Murina ussuriensis) hibernating in snow

Hirofumi Hirakawa,Yu Nagasaka

doi:10.1038/s41598-018-30357-1

Abstract

Surviving winter is a challenge for endothermic animals living at high latitudes. In bats, some species migrate to milder climates in winter, but others presumably stay and hibernate in thermally buffered roosts. However, we know little about where, or in what roosts bats hibernate. Ussurian tube-nosed bats (Murina ussuriensis) have occasionally been observed under or near the surface of snow. We collected the details of those accounts and used our own observations to conclude that these bats hibernate in snow. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence of hibernation in snow for bats, and second for mammals, following polar bears (Ursus maritimus) denning in snow.

Highlights

Bats are one of the most successful groups of mammals, comprising more than 1,300 species
In 2005 we came across some anecdotal accounts of M. ussuriensis being found near the surface of residual piles of snow in spring
The seasonally earliest account was from 20 November and the latest 17 June; four accounts were from snow-accumulating season, one from mid-winter, and 17 from snowmelt season (Fig. 1b; Supplementary Table S1; Supplementary Figs S1 and S2)

Summary

Introduction

Bats are one of the most successful groups of mammals, comprising more than 1,300 species They range widely from the tropics to the sub-Arctic[1,2]. Non-migratory species are, unlike birds, assumed to stay and hibernate in roosts buffered from extreme conditions because food (insects) is rarely if ever available. We often assume that bats with unknown roosts hibernate in tree cavities or rock crevices[6]. We show that Ussurian tube-nosed bats (Murina ussuriensis; Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) hibernate in snow. During other times of year, they roost in tree cavities[13,14], but their whereabouts during winter remain unknown in areas where subfreezing temperatures are the norm. We have collected 22 accounts and found 37 individuals We analysed these data to examine whether M. ussuriensis hibernates in snow

Methods

Results

Conclusion