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Mens en Milieu

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, Jasja Dekker, via www.flickr.com

Bats

Bats are the only mammals that can really fly. They are very mysterious animals, appearing only after twilight to hunt insects. Even with the best of eyes, these small insects are not visible in the dark. That is why bats have such good ears. To 'see', bats transmit signals which return as echos when they bounce against something, such as an insect. They receive these echos with their ears. This method is called echolocation.

On Texel


On Texel, you can find common pipistrelles, the Nathusius' pipistrelles and serotine bats. Irregular guests include the common noctule and the Daubenton's bat. Sometimes, members of the bat workgroup on Texel find other species, such as the long-eared bat that was found in the Maartenhuis and the parti-colored bat, found in the Krim and the Greenside Hotel. Every year, the workgroup counts the number of animals in the nursery colonies. They also hang up special bat nesting boxes in the woods.

  • Sleep

    Of all the mammals, bats sleep the most. They sleep during the day in the summer, where they roost in their summer homes. They move to special winter quarters in the winter to hibernate. That can be a building, ice cellars, caves or hollow trees.

  • Bats along the coast

    There are fewer bats found along the coast than inland. On the Wadden Islands, you find the common pipistrelle, the Nathusius' pipistrelle and the serotine.  Elsewhere along the coast, you find pond bats, Daubenton's bats, whiskered bats, long-eared bats and Natterer's bats.

  • Threatened

    Bats generally only produce one young per nest. Although some species can have several nests in a year, bats are not known for their high reproduction. They are sensitive for environmental pollution and changes in the landscape. All bats in the Netherlands are protected. Many species are on the Red List for threatened mammals.