Rhinolophus ferrumequinum

The large rhinolophe or large rhinolophe horseshoe is one of Chauve-souris. It is largest of the European rhinolophes. It often drives out with the mounting while being suspended on the low branches of the trees. It locates its preys by listening to the noises, then the capture in the air or on the ground. Large the rhinolophe is sedentary. It moves only between its lodgings of hibernation and estivage. Like all the rhinolophe, large the rhinolophe emits the ultrasounds by the nose and not by the mouth like the others Microchiroptères. It does not have a Tragus.

Size: body from 5,7 to 7 cm; tail from 3,5 to 6,5 cm

Scale: 35 to 40 cm

Weight: 17 to 30 G

winter Habitat: caves, cellars, mines (95% of Hygroscopy), temperatures constant and high.

estival Habitat: hot built medium (attic, packed of church, castle).

Place of hunting:

Food: night Lépidoptère, Coleopter (cockchafer), Orthoptère (grasshopper, locust).

Ultrasounds: 81-84 Khz. C.f. long, then short F.M. and abrupt.

Flight: low height (4 to 5 m).

Longevity: up to 30 years

Reproduction: sexual maturity to 2-3 years, 1 young person per annum, at the end of June - at the beginning of July.

Distribution: Mediterranean region, Europe, Asia.

Protection: Species protected. Large the rhinolophe is regarded as a vulnerable species in many European countries. The situation is worrying. One indeed notes a reduction in manpower and a contraction of his surface of distribution. The rhinolophe iron-with-horse is made vulnerable, like the 4 other European species of bat, by the degradation of its places of reproduction and by a less abundant food. L ¹ species thus disappeared from the Netherlands. She is strongly threatened with the margins of her surface of distribution: Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland and Poland. In France, manpower are still relatively important, with a known total staff complement approaching the 30.000 individuals. It is necessary nevertheless to underline L ¹ existence of notable regional imbalances. Indeed, the four areas of the Atlantic facade (Poitou-Charentes, Country of the Loire, Brittany and Aquitaine) accommodate, with the Midday-Pyrenees, 60% of winter manpower. The areas Centers, Burgundy, Champagne-Ardenne, Franche-Comté and Lorraine preserves as for them significant populations locally (6 825 individuals, is 24% of L ¹ total staff complement). On the other hand, the situation of L ¹ species is much more precarious in the north of the country (L ¹ species almost disappeared D ¹ Alsace and completely from the department of North) like in the south-eastern quarter of the country, with respectively 9% and 7% of wintering manpower. (the figures quoted above goes back to 2002.

Statute of protection

Convention of Bern of September 19th, 1979:

Appendix 2: Are in particular prohibited: a) any form of intentional capture, detention and setting with intentional death; b) the intentional deterioration or destruction of the sites of reproduction or the rest areas; c) the intentional disturbance of the wildlife, in particular during the period of reproduction, dependence and hibernation, in so far as the disturbance has a significant effect have regard to the objectives of this Convention; d) intentional destruction or the collecting of eggs in nature or their detention, even vacuums; E) the detention and internal trade of these animals, alive or died, including animals naturalized, and of very part or very produced, easily identifiable, obtained starting from the animal, when this measurement contributes to the effectiveness of the provisions of this article.

European directives of May 21st, 1992 and of October 27th, 1997 concerning the conservation of the natural habitats as well as fauna and flora savages:

CE/92/43 - Appendix 2: Directive Fauna-Flora-Habitat, appendix 2: animal species and vegetable of Community interest whose conservation requires the designation of special zones of conservation modified by the Directive 97/62/CE (species from which the habitat must be protected).
CE/92/43 - Appendix 4: Directive Fauna-Flora-Habitat, appendix 4: strictly protected species, the capture and the setting with intentional death is prohibited just like the disturbance of the critical phases of the vital cycle and the destruction of their rest and their site areas of reproduction.

Convention of Bonn of June 23rd, 1979:

Agreement Bat : Convention of Bonn on the migrating species: Agreement on the conservation of the bats in Europe: Extracts of article 3 on the fundamental obligations: 1. Each Part prohibits the capture, detention or the setting with intentional death of the bats, except when it is delivered a license by its competent authority. 2. Each Part identifies, on the concerning territory its jurisdiction, the sites which are important for the state of the conservation of the bats, in particular for their shelter and their protection. By holding account with the need for the economic and social considerations, it protects from such sites of any degradation or disturbance. In addition, each Part endeavors to identify and protect from any degradation or disturbance the important surfaces of food for the bats.

External bonds

the Council wounded Bat
regional Contacts chiropètres in France
Large Natural Contract rhinolophe in Brittany

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