Presence of bats in Malaga: great allies of the ecosystem

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Bats are pollinating mammals that provide great benefits to society. In Malaga, there are different significant species, which act as indicators, since their presence signals the state of conservation of the forests. Chiropterans, commonly known as bats, control vectors of many diseases; being largely insectivores, they prevent the spread of a large number of diseases. In addition, they act as a pesticide against insects and rodents. Specifically, they feed on the cluster moth,   lobesia botrana , which causes pests in vineyards. Among the species that we can find in the province, it is worth highlighting the presence of the dwarf bat , Pipistrellus pipistrellus.

This species is one of the smallest bats in Jamaica Email List Europe, however, it is very common to see it in the Malaga area. On the Great Path it can be seen in numerous stages, passing through practically the entire province; stage 01. Málaga – Rincón de la Victoria; stage 16. Cuevas Bjas- Alameda; stage 21. El Chorro Station (Álora)- Carratraca – Ardales; stage 31. Marbella-Ojén, among many others. Another of the less abundant species is the garden bat , Eptesicus serotinus . Scattered colonies have been observed in Sierra de Aguas and Sierra de las Nieves. In addition, they can also be observed, with luck on the following routes of the Great Path: GR 249. Stage 22. Ardales – El Burgo; GR 249. Stage 23. El Burgo-Ronda.



Garden bat (Eptesicus serotinus) Source: Image from the Provincial Council of Málaga On the other hand, the bigeye buzzard bat , Myotis capaccinii , has only been seen on a few occasions in Andalusia, but one of them was seen northwest of Malaga, in the last century. The really curious thing is that it does not feed only on insects, since this bat is closely linked to water, since it hunts in low flights and is capable of eating fish. This unique species is threatened with the category of vulnerable (VU)  according to the IUCN, and in Spain classified as Endangered (EX). One of the threats it suffers is based on the loss of shelters due to destruction or blocking of entrances, the low quality of water in the wetlands or uncontrolled visits to its shelters.