Loss of roosts and lethal traps in destroyed buildings

Russia’s war in Ukraine has severe consequences not only for humans but also for the populations of urban and semi-urban wildlife in the attacked cities and regions.

Scientists from the Ukrainian Bat Rehabilitation Center recently conducted a study on the impact of war-related damage to buildings on urban populations of the Common Noctule bat species in the city of Kharkiv, Ukraine. Their research, published in the Journal of Applied Animal Ethics Research, revealed that many bat roosting buildings were destroyed, resulting in the death of approximately 7,000 bats. Additionally, partially damaged buildings became deadly traps for bats, leading to the deaths of several thousand more.

The Ukrainian Bat Rehabilitation Center is dedicated to the protection, rescue, and long-term research of bats, with a focus on the Kharkiv region. The city of Kharkiv has experienced intense conflicts between Ukrainian and Russian forces, exacerbating the challenges faced by the bat populations. Dr. Anton Vlaschenko, the director of the UBRC and also affiliated with the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) in Berlin, explains, “Our findings indicate that 45.1% of buildings used as winter roosts for Common Noctules were either partially damaged or completely destroyed by shellings, resulting in the direct killing of approximately 7,000 bats.”

The war-damaged urban environment in Kharkiv has become a deadly trap for bats during their autumn migration or swarming period. Bats enter buildings through open or broken windows caused by blast waves, resulting in entrapment. This issue has been known to occur in Kharkiv since the 1960s, but the ongoing war has intensified the problem, creating more traps for bats. Dr. Kseniia Kravchenko, a former Ph.D. student from Leibniz-IZW and a member of UBRC, explains that migratory bats are particularly vulnerable to windows left open by people or broken by blast waves. In some cases, bats become trapped between double-glazed window frames.

Before the war, UBRC scientists rescued up to 500 bats from such windows during the autumn migration. However, due to the war, the number of trapped bats in partially damaged and abandoned buildings increased threefold, with Common Noctules being the most affected species. The team discovered 2,836 Common Noctules trapped inside buildings damaged by shelling, and approximately 30% of them were already dead when discovered. The size of trapped bat groups was larger in the most war-damaged areas of the city, such as Saltivka.

Furthermore, the number of bats present in Kharkiv in 2022 was exceptionally high, as Common Noctules remained in the city throughout autumn. The scientists also observed larger body masses in these bats, possibly due to the destruction of street lights and power plants during the war. The absence of artificial light allowed more bats to enter the city, leading to a rapid recovery of nocturnal insect populations.

Despite the difficult working conditions caused by the war, the Ukrainian Bat Rehabilitation Center remains active in their efforts to save bats, gather data, run workshops, and collaborate with scientists and institutes in Ukraine and beyond. They work closely with the Leibniz-IZW in Berlin.

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