IAS Gyan

Daily News Analysis

 ‘Olympian’ bat’

10th August, 2021 ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

Context:

  • A bat dubbed the “Olympian bat” by scientists, broke British records by flying a distance of more than 2,000 km from London to the Pskov region in northwestern Russia.
  • Bats belonging to the Nathusius’ pipistrelle species weigh less than 10 grams are known to migrate from summer breeding grounds in northeastern Europe to warmer areas of the continent where they hibernate in trees in buildings.
  • This journey is significant because for climate scientists it is a window into studying bat migration and its connection with climate change.
  • The Bat Conservation Trust launched a project called the National Nathusius’ Pipistrelle Project in 2014 to improve understanding of the ecology, current status and conservation threats for Nathusius’ pipistrelles in Great Britain.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-why-an-olympian-bats-2000-km-flight-has-intrigued-scientists-7446062/