In Rwanda, a bat that people thought had disappeared 40 years ago has been found in the Nyungwe National Park forest. Scientists now want to protect it so everyone can enjoy seeing it.
For the first time since 1979, the Hills’ horseshoe bat, a small bat listed as critically endangered, was spotted in the wild. It was caught in January 2019, measured, and photographed by Bat Conservation International (BCI), then released after three years of research. Scientists used European museum records to confirm its identity.
Winifred Frick, a BCI scientist, said: “We immediately knew it was a rare specimen; its facial features were very special!” Jon Flanders, BCI’s director, called it an “incredible rediscovery.”
The next step is to protect this bat with the help of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and the Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association (RWCA) so that it can continue to live safely in the forest.
