Bokhara Horseshoe Bat
Status: Category VI, Near Threatened, NT: R. A rare species for Kyrgyzstan, found at the peripheral part of its range.
Distribution overall and in the country. The range covers the southern part of the temperate zone and subtropics of the Palaearctic, including almost all of Western Europe, Asia Minor, North Africa, Western Ukraine, Moldova, Southern Crimea, the Caucasus, northern Afghanistan, Southern Kazakhstan, China, Nepal, and the Japanese islands. In Central Asia, it inhabits Southern Turkmenistan, Southern Kazakhstan (the northernmost findings are known in Kara-Tau), Western Tajikistan, and the eastern part of Uzbekistan. In Kyrgyzstan, it is found in the foothills of the northern macro slopes of the Alai (Keklik-Too) and Turkestan ranges.
Habitat. Low foothills with a dry climate, desert and semi-desert vegetation on the slopes of mountains, and oasis agriculture in the valleys. It uses caves as shelters, often with other species (the lesser horseshoe bat, the greater horseshoe bat, and the Asian big-eared bat). Prefers warm (18-25 °C) and humid (up to 100% relative humidity) caves.
Population. The population is small, with individual clusters usually reaching several dozen individuals.
Life style (life cycles). Found year-round in Southern Kyrgyzstan, but shows a tendency for constant migrations. Appears in wintering grounds in November and leaves starting from late February [3]. It leads a nocturnal lifestyle, spending daytime in shelters. Two flights from shelters are noted: evening (lasting up to 3 hours) and a brief pre-dawn flight. The activity radius is up to 1.5 km. The diet mainly consists of insects with soft coverings: dipterans, moths, beetles, and wasps. It hunts over fields, riverbanks, above water surfaces, and channels, at heights ranging from 0.2 to 15 m. Settlements are located near rivers and channels, as the bats actively consume water, especially females during the rearing of young. The breeding period occurs from late May to early June.
Limiting factors. Leaves caves after human visits.
Breeding (keeping in captivity). Not bred.
Existing conservation measures. None.
Recommended conservation measures. Protection of habitats and shelters from uncontrolled human visits.
Bokhara Horseshoe Bat
Bokhara Horseshoe Bat
Rhinolophus (R.) bocharicus (Kastschenko et Akimov, 1917)
Status: Category VI, Near Threatened, NT: R. This south-Palaearctic (from Western Europe up to Japan) species is a rare bat species in Kyrgyzstan, inhabiting at the edge of its specific area, where it is recorded in the northern piedmonts of the Turkestan and Alai Mountains. This is a comparatively small bat species, with a body length of 52-60 mm. The species occurs in habitats year-round while these bats permanently migrate. It populates warm humid caves in different rocky low-montane landscapes (together with other bat species) and is active from the end of February to November. Bats catch delicate insects and need water near their roosting place (the radius of activity is 1.5 km). The period of reproduction begins in May - June. The population is insignificant, with the largest aggregations not exceeding several dozen individuals. Limiting factors include disturbances in retreats caused by humans (disturbed bats leave caves). It is not kept in captivity in Kyrgyzstan, and special protection measures have not been undertaken, although several caves in the specific area of occupancy have Nature Sanctuary status since 1975 (Kan-i-Gut and Jidalik Caves in Batken Province, Barytes, Ajidaar-Unkur, Tchil-Ustun, Tchil-Mairam, and Surot-Tash Caves in Osh Province). To conserve the species, it is necessary to limit human visits to caves in the area of occupancy.
