Lesser noctule
CR

Lesser noctule

Nyctalus leisleri

UnknownLCEULCEU

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesser_noctule

Overview

The lesser noctule or the Leisler's bat, is a species of insectivorous bat belonging to the vesper bat family, Vespertilionidae. The species was named to honour the naturalist Johann Philipp Achilles Leisler.

The Lesser noctule faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat loss from deforestation and urbanization, which destroys crucial roosting sites in old-growth forests. Wind energy development poses an additional significant threat through direct mortality from turbine strikes, while climate change is altering the distribution and abundance of insect prey species that these bats depend upon for survival.

Threat summary

Habitat

The lesser noctule is found locally across Europe and western Asia, eastwards as far as the Urals and Himalayas. It is also found in north-west Africa, the Canary Islands and Madeira. The form in the Azores is often considered to be a separate species – Azores noctule (Nyctalus azoreum).

It is typically found in forests, both coniferous and deciduous, but has also adapted to parkland and urban...

TERRESTRIAL· major

Other threatened species in Vespertilionidae

Pond BatVU

Pond Bat

Myotis dasycneme

Unknown
Geoffroy's BatVU

Geoffroy's Bat

Myotis emarginatus

Unknown
Serotine BatVU

Serotine Bat

Eptesicus serotinus

Unknown
Greater Mouse-eared BatEN

Greater Mouse-eared Bat

Myotis myotis

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Lesser noctule classified as Critically Endangered?
Lesser noctule is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. The Lesser noctule faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat loss from deforestation and urbanization, which destroys crucial roosting sites in old-growth forests. Wind energy development poses an additional significant threat through direct mortality from turbine strikes, while climate change is altering the distribution and abundance of insect prey species that these bats depend upon for survival.
Where does Lesser noctule live?
Lesser noctule occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Lesser noctule?
The main threats to Lesser noctule are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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