Blasius’ horseshoe bat: Red Data Book of Armenia

Horseshoe bats - Rhinolophidae

Status. Listed in the Red Data Book of the former USSR. An endangered and unexplored species. Listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 3.1) as Least Concern. According to IUCN criteria categorized as Endangered EN B1a+2a.

Distribution. Mediterranean countries of Southern Europe, North Africa, Southwestern Turkmenistan, South Caucasus, Iran.

Distribution in Armenia. Armenia represents the species’ northernmost range country. Occurs in 3 caves in the south of the Syunik Province on the boundaries with Nagorno Karabakh, Nakhichevan and Iran.

Habitats. Lives only in caves located in mountain grasslands and semi–deserts.

Biological traits. Poorly studied. The female produces one baby. In search of food, leaves the caves at twilight and returns at sunrise.

Population size and its trends. A rare and poorly studied species of limited distribution and decreasing population.

Major threats. Unknown.

Conservation measures. Protected in Arevik National Park. It is essential to close human access to the caves inhabited by the Blasius’ horseshoe bat.