A record number of hibernating bats, as many as 1063 were charged this year in the Landscape Park of the Romincka Forest. Old cellars and bunkers were renovated for the wintering grounds for them. These animals are covered in Poland year -round, strict species protection. The law prohibits their scoring, keeping, killing and destroying habitats and hiding places.
Inventories of wintering bats have been carried out in the Landscape Park of the Romincka Forest (Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship) for over 20 years. At that time, former German shelters and cellars are checked, which were previously adapted to the hibernation places of these mammals. – This year we counted 1063 bats. This is an increase compared to last year, when we found 992 bats – said the Landscape Park of the Romincka Forest on Friday.
Active protection of bats
The Landscape Park has been involved in the active protection of bats for many years. That is why dozens of objects were renovated and adapted to the needs of these animals. The number of wintering bats is steadily growing: in 2005 only 45, in 2023, already 879 individuals. During the annual inventory, bats of several species were found: west mop (Barbastella Barbastellus), gilded darkness (Cnephaeus Nilssonii), Rudy's Nocek (Myotis Daubentonia), Natterera native (Myotis Nattereri), brown gacek (Auritus back) and Brandt's noise (Myotis Brandtii).
Western mopShutterstock
They winter mainly in small landowners remaining after pre -war farms, as well as in the shelters of the former headquarters of the main commander of Luftwaffe Hermann Goering in the forest of Kumata near Gołdap. Park employees put wooden doors in the cellars and secured the windows, and under the ceilings they installed boards and bricks of holes, serving bats as winter hiding places. Thanks to such protection in the rooms there are no drafts, there is adequate humidity and low but stable temperature. The hibernating bat significantly reduces body temperature, which slows down his life processes. He then uses subcutaneous supplies of fat. Bats are covered in Poland year -round, strict species protection. The law prohibits their scoring, keeping, killing and destroying habitats and hiding places.
Rudy nightsAdobestock
The Landscape Park of the Romincka Forest is located between Gołdapia and Żytkiemami in the north-eastern part of the province. Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, at the border with the Królewiec region.
Source of the main photo: Shutterstock