The Lesser Noctule

European Bat of the Year

In Switzerland, the Lesser Noctule (Nyctalus leisleri) can be found well above the tree line. The Lesser Noctule is still widespread, but in many places it is coming under increasing pressure. Like many forest-dwelling bat species, it depends on old trees with plenty of cavities. Fortunately, the Wildnispark Zurich can provide this for the bats at several locations.

A Guest at Langenberg Wildlife Park

At Langenberg Wildlife Park, bioacoustic monitoring last year showed that the Lesser Noctule is present there. No wonder: more than half of Langenberg is forested. In 2024, we cared for a lesser noctule at our bat emergency care station for several days. Our animal caretakers then transferred it to the care station of the Bat Conservation Foundation at the Zurich Zoo to hibernate.

With its old-growth forests, the Sihlwald theoretically offers this species a good habitat. Surveys are currently underway to determine which species are actually present here; the exact results are not yet available.

Nocturnal “Migrant”

The migrations of the lesser noctule are particularly impressive: individual bats travel distances ranging from several hundred to over a thousand kilometers between their summer and winter quarters.

By naming it the Bat of the Year for 2026/2027, the organization BatLife Europe aims to draw attention to the importance of near-natural forests, old trees, and a connected habitat. Only if these habitats are preserved in the long term can migratory bat species such as the lesser noctule bat survive in Europe in the long run.