Mehely’s Horseshoe Bat, Rhinolophus mehelyi

Mehely’s horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus mehelyi) can be found in areas of the Middle East and Eastern Europe, and has a fragmented range. It lives in caves, with a preference for limestone caves with a nearby body of water. It will sometimes roost with other species of horseshoe bats within these caves. It is a medium sized bat, with pale lips and dense fur.  The fur is typically whitish gray in color, with darker fur appearing on the back and lighter fur appearing on the underbelly. As is characteristic to bat species, Mehely’s horseshoe bat is nocturnal and hunts insects like moths. It used echolocation to find its food, emitting calls between 105 and 112 kHz. Mehely’s horseshoe bat appears on the IUCN Red List with a conservation status of “Least Concern”.

Image Caption: Mehely’s Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus mehelyi). Credit: F. C. Robiller / naturlichter.de/Wikipedia  (CC BY-SA 3.0)