Elusive bat species caught and tagged in Gibraltar cave

NEW bat-tracking efforts in Gibraltar’s caves have led to a landmark encounter with an elusive bat.

During an all-night session in the Vanguard Cave, members of the Gibraltar Museum Bat Unit managed to capture and tag their first European free-tailed bat.

Also known as a bulldog or mastiff bat for its crinkled snout, this species is populous throughout Gibraltar, but has never been captured due to their crevice-dwelling habits.

The bat will be studied and monitored through the Gib-Bats study, a collaboration between the Gibraltar Museum and the Ornithological and Natural History Society.