Mammals · Chiroptera · Rhinolophidae

Greater Horseshoe Bat

Rhinolophus ferrumequinum

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

It is the largest horseshoe bat in Europe, told apart by the horseshoe-shaped nose-leaf it uses to focus the ultrasound it emits through its nostrils. It hibernates wrapped in its own wing membranes.

Weight

17 g – 34 g

Size

5.7 cm – 7.1 cm

Lifespan

15 years

Diet

Insectivore

Feeds mainly on insects and other invertebrates.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Colony

Lives in large concentrations, often for breeding reasons.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

Temperate forestMountainInsectivore Nocturnal Colonial Temperate forest Mountain Mammal

51countries 98parks1same family

Fun facts

It is the largest horseshoe bat in Europe.
It emits ultrasound through its nose rather than its mouth, unlike most bats.
It hibernates wrapped in its own wings, hanging in tight clusters from October to April.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Karst caves, grassland and temperate deciduous woodland of Europe, North Africa, and Central and East Asia
Birth weight: 5.8 grams
Size at birth: The young naked at birth, clinging to its mother for the first few weeks
Sexual maturity: 2 years
Gestation / incubation: 80 days
Litter / clutch size: 1 young per litter

Sources consulted: AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); The Wildlife Trusts; Dimensions.com; Animal Diversity Web; Britannica; Animalia.bio; PMC (hibernation telomere dynamics study); PMC (reproductive success determinants study)