Overview

• Researchers from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research fitted 32 Leisler's bats with GPS loggers to map detailed habitat use in Brandenburg, Germany.
• Analysis shows the bats strongly prefer structurally rich oak woodlands and avoid spruce-dominated plantations in intensively managed forests.
• Declining availability of old trees with natural cavities has driven Leisler's bats to roost in settlement green spaces and historic buildings, including churches.
• Wind turbines erected within or near forests pose a heightened collision risk as bats mistake the tall structures for tree trunks.
• The team urges adoption of sustainable forestry that preserves old trees and diverse forests alongside urban planning measures to protect alternative roost sites.