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Bat fauna of Lokrum Island special forest reserve, Croatia

Lokrum Island, Dubrovnik, Croatia, is a special reserve of forest vegetation since 1948. The total surface of the island is 0.7 km2, while dense vegetation covers 86% of the island, with the forest and maquis dominated by Quercus ilex and Fraxinus ornus. The island and the seabelt are also a Natura 2000 site. Lokrum Island, as a part of Dubrovnik Old Town, is under the protection of UNESCO as a cultural heritage. The only known data for the bat fauna on the island originate from one source stating that two bat species have nurseries in the Benedictine monastery, without any additional data on dates and numbers of specimens. In June and September 2016 we investigated the bat fauna by placing mist-nets around water bodies, searching overground and underground potential roosting sites and echolocation recording using ultrasound detectors. Overall 7 bat species were mistnetted: Hypsugo savii, Miniopterus schreibersii, Myotis nattereri, M. mystacinus, Pipistrellus kuhlii, P. nathusii and Plecotus kolombatovici. In the Benedictine monastery a nursery colony of Rhinolophus hipposideros was confirmed and one R. ferrumequinum specimen was also recorded. The nursery of Plecotus kolombatovici was also confirmed, although the exact location in the monastery complex was not found. The echolocation recordings revealed 2 more species: Tadarida teniotis and Nyctalus noctula. Preserved forest and vegetation of the island, water reservoirs at three localities, a number of overground roosts and sea caves together with the absence of visitors during the night enables a high biodiversity of bat fauna for such a small island, with 11 of the 34 Croatian- recorded bat species. The results were presented at the International Bat Night in 2016, the first ever for that particular county. Bat research results from 2016, together with additional research planned in 2017, will enable further recommendations and actions for the conservation of the bat fauna through the current development of the Lokrum Island Reserve Management Plan.

bat fauna, Lokrum Island, Croatia

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