Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 35/2. (2015)

Zoology

BAT SPECIES (MAMMALIA, CHIROPTERA) HIBERNATING IN ABANDONED STONE QUARRIES FROM SAHARNA, REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA

NISTREANU Victoria1, ANDREEV Sergiu2, LARION Alina1,

POSTOLACHI Vlad1, CALDARI Vlad1

Institute of Zoology, Academy of Sciences of Moldova, Academiei str., no 1, 2028-MD Chisinäu, Republic of Moldova, e-mail: vicnistreanu<2)gmail.com 2 NGO WISDOM

Abstract: Abandoned quarries from Saharna (47°4V N, 28°57’ E) situated at the 80-100 m above the sea level have several entrances. The ceiling consists of multiple cracking, remained after extraction activities and has a height of between 1.5 and 3 m. The first individuals were observed near the entrance at 2-4 m. A total of 7 km of underground passages were investigated and 325 individuals from 9 species. In 2013 we recorded only 112 individuals from 7 species, while in 2014 — 213 individuals from 9 species. During both years the dominant species was Eptesicus serotinus with about 65% in 2013 and only 40% in 2014, followed by Myotis daubentonii and Rhynolophus hiiposideros in the first year and by R. hipposideros then M. daubentonii in the second year of study. The rest of the species were registered in low number, between 0.5% and 7%. It must be mentioned the presence of Barbastella barbastellus species with approximately 2% in each study period. It is a very rare, endangered species of our fauna and the Saharna site represent the only known hibernation place of this species in R. Moldova. The abandoned stone quarries from Saharna represent an important bat hibernation shelter, where hundreds of individuals spent the winter and this site need special protection.

Keywords: bats, hibernation, underground roost, Saharna, community structure

Introduction

In the Republic of Moldova the order Chiroptera comprises 21 species belonging to families Rhynolophidae and Vespertilionidae. Almost half of them hibernate in underground shelters of various origins, including abandoned stone quarries that represent important roost sites. Such roosts provide favorable conditions for mating, hibernation, rearing the young, protection from adverse weather and predators. The studies of bats hibernating in underground shelters were carried out in 60’s-70’s of the past century all over the republic, but mostly in the northern and central zones [2, 3, 5, 6, 7]. Then, for almost 20 years bat studies were practically abandoned and at the end of 90’s they continued by several researchers mostly in the central part of Moldova and in Nistru river valley [1, 4, 13, 14). Since 2013 intense studies on bat species hibernating in various underground shelters from the central part of Moldova have started, including preliminary results on bat communities hibernating in Saharna quarries [9, 10, 11, 12]. The abandoned stone quarries from Saharna represent an important bat hibernation site. Therefore, the bat study and monitoring in this area is of huge importance for bat conservation.

M A R I S I A, XXXV, p. 75-80