Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Scientists from the Institute of Zoology of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, working with international researchers, have discovered the Turkmen long-eared bat (Plecotus turkmenicus) in Uzbekistan for the first time. The rare and poorly studied species was found in Southern Ustyurt National Nature Park, the Academy of Sciences’ press service said.
The Turkmen long-eared bat is a rare member of Central Asia’s fauna. Until now, knowledge of the species had been based primarily on data collected before 1970 and museum specimens.
The species has barely been observed in its natural habitat over the past 55 years.
The discovery resulted from an expedition conducted under the One Health in Nature Conservation project.
The initiative is implemented by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with financial support from the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of Germany’s Ministry for the Environment.
The discovery expands scientific knowledge of bat diversity in Uzbekistan and provides new opportunities for further research into and conservation of rare species in the region.
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