Savi’s Pipistrelle (Hypsugo savii)

This small bat has a forearm length of 30.8-36 mm and head and body length of 40-47 mm. Dorsal fur is dark brown, while ventral fur is paler. Ears are short and dark. This species is widespread (central and southern Europe, North Africa, Cape Verde and the Azores) and is present in the Canaries (Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro) and on at least two islands (São Vicente and Fogo) of Cape Verde, although more information is needed. In the Canaries it is found at near sea level to 2,150 m, and in Cape Verde between 50-70 and 700 m, although bats (probably Savi’s pipistrelles) have been sighted at around 1,600 m. It favours mountainous regions (cliffs, deep ravines and inland peaks) but visits cultivated land, pools and urban areas with public lighting to hunt insects and to drink. The few known roosts in Macaronesia of this crevice-dwelling bat are located in rocky walls, under stones and occasionally inside volcanic tunnels. In the Canaries the females are known to suckle their young in July, but there is very little information about other locations. Interestingly, in Tenerife, this species hibernates at over 2,000 m in Teide National Park, but little is known about its movements or other aspects of its biology. Populations appear to have recovered in the last few decades and the species is now particularly common in El Hierro and quite common in Tenerife, La Gomera and Gran Canaria, where it is widely distributed.