Mammals · Chiroptera · Rhinolophidae

Lesser Horseshoe Bat

Rhinolophus hipposideros

Least Concern

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

The smallest horseshoe bat of the Palaearctic, with large ears lacking a tragus and a horseshoe-shaped nose leaf that it uses to direct its echolocation. At rest it wraps itself completely in its wing membrane, hanging like a small sack.

Weight

4 g – 9 g

Size

3.6 cm – 4.5 cm

Lifespan

4 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

Estimated population

No global numerical estimate. In Andalusia it has been found in 96 of the roosts occupied by bats, 39.3% of the total

Insectivore Nocturnal Colonial Mammal

46countries 111parks1same family

Fun facts

Unlike almost every other bat, it does not share its roost with other species in the breeding season: it is the least gregarious of the horseshoe bats.
It echolocates at a very high frequency, between 105 and 116 kHz, far above human hearing.
It hangs very exposed from the roofs of its roosts, which makes it particularly vulnerable to vandalism and to unintentional disturbance.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Natural and artificial caves, mines and buildings, almost always near water and associated with scrub and small patches of woodland. From sea level up to about 2,000 m
Sexual maturity: Females are fertile from their second year
Litter / clutch size: A single young a year, at around the month of June
Lifespan in captivity: A Polish individual was recaptured 21 years and 3 months after it was ringed

Sources consulted: IUCN Red List (e.T19518A21972794); SECEM - Atlas de los mamíferos terrestres de España; MITECO - Inventario Español de Especies Terrestres; Ratpenats.org; Red Natura 2000 Cantabria (ficha 1303)