Vol. 78 2026

ARTICLES

Bats as Victims of Vehicles on a Road Crossing a Mosaic of Habitats in South-Western Poland

Grzegorz Lesiński1,*, Marcin Łukaszewicz2 & Adam Olszewski3

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*Grzegorz Lesiński1, Marcin Łukaszewicz2 & Adam Olszewski3

https://doi.org/10.71424/azb78.1.002907

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Abstract

A five-year study (2018-2022) conducted between April and October on a road in south-western Poland revealed 104 bats killed by vehicles. They represented at least 12 species. Bats of the genus Pipistrellus dominated in the collected samples. Relatively frequently recorded were: Nyctalus noctula and Myotis nattereri as well as small bats of Myotis (mostly not classified to species). Eptesicus serotinus and Plecotus auritus (common in Polish bat assemblages) occurred rarely. August and September were the periods with the highest number of bat casualties (ca. 2/3 records). More cases of bat casualties than expected were noted in places where a road crossed forests. The presence of embankment did not reduce the number of roadkills. This study confirms that bats are threatened by traffic, and species composition of bats killed by vehicles depends on landscape structure and local bat assemblages.

Key words

Chiroptera, mortality, Pipistrellus, road casualties, seasonal changes, traffic

How to Cite
Lesiński G., Łukaszewicz M. & Olszewski A. 2026. Bats as Victims of Vehicles on a Road Crossing a Mosaic of Habitats in South-Western Poland. Acta zoologica bulgarica 78.

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