Charles University zoologists capture Europe's largest bat species in Czech Republic

Zoologists from Charles University have achieved a historic first by capturing Europe's largest bat species, the Greater Mouse-eared bat, in the Czech Republic. The capture took place shortly after midnight at Červenohorské sedle in the Jeseníky Mountains.

While researchers had long suspected the species' presence in the region based on acoustic recordings of its echolocation signals, this marks the first time the animal has been physically captured on Czech territory. The research team was led by zoologist Radek Lučan, alongside students Nikola Gallová and Jáchym Tesařík.

The Greater Mouse-eared bat is a significant predator that can have a wingspan of up to 46 centimeters. Unlike many other bat species that feed on insects, this species possesses large canines and is known to hunt small birds. Scientists suggest that climate change in Europe may be facilitating the northward and eastward spread of the species from its typical habitats in the Iberian Peninsula, the Balkans, and Turkey.