Pipistrellus kuhlii

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Bibliography

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	CHIROPTERA	VESPERTILIONIDAE

Scientific Name:

Pipistrellus kuhlii

Species Authority:

(Kuhl, 1817)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Kuhl's Pipistrelle
French	–	Pipistrelle De Kuhl
Spanish	–	Murciélago De Borde Claro

Taxonomic Notes:

Simmons (2005) considers sub-Saharan African and Canary Island populations to belong to a different species, P. hesperidus. The species in Yemen requires taxonomic clarification (D. Kock pers. comm. 2005).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

Aulagnier, S., Juste, J., Karataş, A., Palmeirim, J. & Paunović, M.

Reviewer/s:

Hutson, A.M., Racey, P.A. (Chiroptera Red List Authority) & Temple, H. (Global Mammal Assessment Team)

Justification:
The species is widespread and abundant, and populations are increasing in parts of the range. Consequently it is assessed as Least Concern.

History:

2004	–	Least Concern
1996	–	Lower Risk/least concern

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is widespread in Africa, Europe and Asia. Pipistrellus kuhlii has a large range extending from Iberia through southern Europe through the Near East and the Caucasus to Kazakhstan, Pakistan, and India (Molur 2002). There is a single record from China (Smith et al. 2008). The northern limit of its range in Europe was formerly ca.45°N, but the species has been expanding northwards. It arrived 1994 in Vienna/Austria (48°N), and was more recently recorded to 50°N in France and 51°N in Ukraine. It has been expanding northwards in Russia for the last half century from 46°N to c.53°N, with the highest record made at almost 57°N (S. Kruskop pers. comm. 2006). It occurs from sea level to 2,000 m.
Countries:	Native: Afghanistan; Albania; Algeria; Andorra; Angola; Armenia; Austria; Azerbaijan; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Cyprus; Egypt; France (Corse); Georgia; Germany; Gibraltar; Greece (Kriti); Holy See (Vatican City State); Hungary; India; Iran, Islamic Republic of; Iraq; Israel; Italy (Sardegna, Sicilia); Jordan; Kazakhstan; Kuwait; Lebanon; Libyan Arab Jamahiriya; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Madagascar; Malta; Monaco; Montenegro; Morocco; Oman; Pakistan; Palestinian Territory, Occupied; Portugal; Romania; Russian Federation; San Marino; Saudi Arabia; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain (Baleares, Canary Is.); Switzerland; Syrian Arab Republic; Tunisia; Turkey; Ukraine; United Arab Emirates; Western Sahara; Yemen Presence uncertain: China
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	It is a relatively abundant species in the Mediterranean region and Middle East. Populations in South Asia seem to be stable and doing well (Molur et al. 2002). Summer colonies typically number 30-100 individuals. In Iran and the Caucasus, the species' range is increasing and it is displacing P. pipistrellus (M. Sharifi and K. Tsytsulina pers. comm. 2005). The northern border of the species' range is also expanding. It is very numerous in urban areas across much of its range.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Population:

It is a relatively abundant species in the Mediterranean region and Middle East. Populations in South Asia seem to be stable and doing well (Molur et al. 2002). Summer colonies typically number 30-100 individuals. In Iran and the Caucasus, the species' range is increasing and it is displacing P. pipistrellus (M. Sharifi and K. Tsytsulina pers. comm. 2005). The northern border of the species' range is also expanding. It is very numerous in urban areas across much of its range.

Population Trend:

Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It forages over variety of habitats, including agricultural and urban areas (including around street lights). It feeds on small insects, including Diptera, Psocoptera, and Coleoptera. Summer maternity colonies are located in crevices in buildings. Winter sites include rock crevices and cellars. In North Africa this species is usually associated with human settlements, forages in forest as well as semi-desert, common in the oases of the northern Sahara. Found in temperate grassland and Mediterranean-type shrubland. Kuhl' s pipistrelle is probably a sedentary species (Hutterer et al. 2005).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

It forages over variety of habitats, including agricultural and urban areas (including around street lights). It feeds on small insects, including Diptera, Psocoptera, and Coleoptera. Summer maternity colonies are located in crevices in buildings. Winter sites include rock crevices and cellars. In North Africa this species is usually associated with human settlements, forages in forest as well as semi-desert, common in the oases of the northern Sahara. Found in temperate grassland and Mediterranean-type shrubland. Kuhl' s pipistrelle is probably a sedentary species (Hutterer et al. 2005).

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	No major threats are known. Use of pesticides to eradicate mosquitos (especially in urban areas) may be a threat in places.

Major Threat(s):

No major threats are known. Use of pesticides to eradicate mosquitos (especially in urban areas) may be a threat in places.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	It is protected by national law in most European range states. It is also protected under international legislation in parts of its range through the Bonn Convention (Eurobats) and Bern Convention, and is included in Annex IV of EU Habitats and Species Directive. It is found in a number of protected areas. No specific conservation actions are known.

Conservation Actions:

It is protected by national law in most European range states. It is also protected under international legislation in parts of its range through the Bonn Convention (Eurobats) and Bern Convention, and is included in Annex IV of EU Habitats and Species Directive. It is found in a number of protected areas. No specific conservation actions are known.

Bibliography [top]

	Aualgnier. 2005. Mammals of Africa in press. Celuch, M. and Sevcik, M. 2006. First record of Pipistrellus kuhlii (Chiroptera) from Slovakia. Biologia, Bratislava 61: 637-638. Corbet, G. B. 1978. The Mammals of the Palaearctic Region: a Taxonomic Review. British Museum (Natural History) and Cornell University Press, London, UK and Ithaca, NY, USA. Gopfert, M. C. 1995. Madagascar Microchiropteran bats: New records includiing new species. Bat Research News 36(4): 68-69. Hutterer, R., Ivanova, T., Meyer-Cord, Ch. and Rodrigues, L. 2005. Bat Migrations in Europe. Naturschutz und Biologische Vielfalt 28: 162. IUCN. 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 5 October 2008). Molur, S., Marimuthu, G., Srinivasulu, C., Mistry, S. Hutson, A. M., Bates, P. J. J., Walker, S., Padmapriya, K. and Binupriya, A. R. 2002. Status of South Asian Chiroptera: Conservation Assessment and Management Plan (C.A.M.P.) Workshop Report. Zoo Outreach Organization/CBSG-South Asia, Coimbatore, India. Schober, W. and Grimmberger, E. 1998. Die Fledermause Europas. Kosmos Naturfuhrer, Stuttgart. Smith, A. and Xie, Y. 2008. The Mammals of China. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey. Spitzenberger F. 2002. Die Säugetierfauna Österreichs. Bundesministerium für Land- und Forstwirtschaft. Umwelt und Wasserwirtschaft, Band. Vernier, E. and Bognanowicz, W. 1999. Pipistrellus kuhlii. In: A. J. Mitchell-Jones, G. Amori, W. Bogdanowicz, B. Kryštufek, P. J. H. Reijnders, F. Spitzenberger, M. Stubbe, J. B. M. Thissen, V. Vohralík and J. Zima (eds), The Atlas of European Mammals, Academic Press, London, UK. Wilson, D. E. and Reeder, D. M. 2005. Mammal Species of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Aualgnier. 2005. Mammals of Africa in press.

Celuch, M. and Sevcik, M. 2006. First record of Pipistrellus kuhlii (Chiroptera) from Slovakia. Biologia, Bratislava 61: 637-638.

Corbet, G. B. 1978. The Mammals of the Palaearctic Region: a Taxonomic Review. British Museum (Natural History) and Cornell University Press, London, UK and Ithaca, NY, USA.

Gopfert, M. C. 1995. Madagascar Microchiropteran bats: New records includiing new species. Bat Research News 36(4): 68-69.

Hutterer, R., Ivanova, T., Meyer-Cord, Ch. and Rodrigues, L. 2005. Bat Migrations in Europe. Naturschutz und Biologische Vielfalt 28: 162.

IUCN. 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 5 October 2008).

Molur, S., Marimuthu, G., Srinivasulu, C., Mistry, S. Hutson, A. M., Bates, P. J. J., Walker, S., Padmapriya, K. and Binupriya, A. R. 2002. Status of South Asian Chiroptera: Conservation Assessment and Management Plan (C.A.M.P.) Workshop Report. Zoo Outreach Organization/CBSG-South Asia, Coimbatore, India.

Schober, W. and Grimmberger, E. 1998. Die Fledermause Europas. Kosmos Naturfuhrer, Stuttgart.

Smith, A. and Xie, Y. 2008. The Mammals of China. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey.

Spitzenberger F. 2002. Die Säugetierfauna Österreichs. Bundesministerium für Land- und Forstwirtschaft. Umwelt und Wasserwirtschaft, Band.

Vernier, E. and Bognanowicz, W. 1999. Pipistrellus kuhlii. In: A. J. Mitchell-Jones, G. Amori, W. Bogdanowicz, B. Kryštufek, P. J. H. Reijnders, F. Spitzenberger, M. Stubbe, J. B. M. Thissen, V. Vohralík and J. Zima (eds), The Atlas of European Mammals, Academic Press, London, UK.

Wilson, D. E. and Reeder, D. M. 2005. Mammal Species of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Citation:	Aulagnier, S., Juste, J., Karataş, A., Palmeirim, J. & Paunović, M. 2008. Pipistrellus kuhlii. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 24 May 2012.
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