In the Kharkiv region, researchers made an extraordinary discovery — a giant noctule bat (Nyctalus lasiopterus), the largest bat in Europe with a wingspan of up to 45 cm.

This was reported by the Ukrainian Bat Rehabilitation Center.

A rare young male was captured in September during research at the Slobozhansky National Nature Park. The study involved experts alongside students from H.S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University and V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University. The finding marked only the fourth confirmed case in modern Ukrainian history, with around 10 known individuals of this species in the last 70 years.

The giant noctule is unique as it can migrate over 1500 km and is the only European bat that preys on small birds. The average lifespan is 6–8 years. During summer, females raise their young in forests near water bodies, while in autumn, bats migrate southwards — to the Balkans, Turkey, or Italy. According to scientists, the captured male was on its way to wintering grounds.

In Ukraine, the study of this species has been ongoing since 2009, when the giant noctule was first recorded again in the Chernobyl exclusion zone after a 60-year hiatus. The data collected allowed for a change in its status in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List to “Vulnerable” in 2016.

After examination and measurements, the bat was released. Researchers emphasized that the greatest threat to the species is related to migration routes, as many individuals die due to collisions with wind turbines.

“This finding proves that even in familiar forests, one can encounter something unique,” the report states.