Miniopterus schreibersi
Rare and Endangered Animals of Armenia
The Evening Bat
Evening bats or perhaps more correctly Vesper bats (family Vespertilionidae) are the largest and best-known family of bats. They belong to the suborder Microchiroptera (microbats).There are 300 species distributed all over the world, many of them native to Europe and North America. Sometimes the family is called "common bats".
Almost all Vesper bats are insect-eaters, exeptions being some Myotis and Pizonyx that catch fish and the larger Nyctalus species that have been known on occasion to catch small Passerine birds in flight.
They rely mainly on echolocation, but they lack the enlarged noses, which some microbats have in order to improve the ultrasound beam and instead "shout" through their open mouths to project their ultrasound beam. In compensation many species have relatively large ears.
As a group, Vesper bats cover the full gamut of flight ability with the relatively weak flying Pipistrellus that have fluttery, almost insect-like flight to the long winged and fast flying genera such as Lasiurus, Nyctalus and Miniopteris. The family size range is from 3 to 13 cm in length.
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Animal in Armenia
Սովորական երկարաթև չղջիկ ("Sovorakan yerkaratev chghjik")
Status
Included in the Red Book of the former Soviet Union.
Habitat in Armenia
Met near Yerevan, Armavir, Ejmiatsin, Ararat, and Meghri regions.
Number in the wild
Until 1966 large groups of 500 – 600 species could have been found near Yerevan and Armavir region. Nowadays these groups have no more than several dozen species. Relatively large groups of 120 – 150 species can still be met in Meghri region and three caves near Ordubad (in Nakhijevan).
In 1977 – 1978, 11 and 28 species were discovered wintering in the cave of Karmir Blur. Apparently, this is the only cave in Armenia where these bats winter.
Reasons for decrease in number
Distraction of caves, extensive growth of the economic activity of the population in the regions mentioned.
Number in captivity
The only sample is kept in the vivarium of Moscow State University after Lomonosov.
Measures of protection taken
None