PRELIMINARY RESULTS ON THE PRESENCE OF BATS IN THE GOVJEŠTICA CAVE (PRAČA RIVER CANYON – BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA) AND IN THE SURROUNDING AREA
PRELIMINARY RESULTS ON THE PRESENCE OF BATS IN THE GOVJEŠTICA CAVE (PRAČA RIVER CANYON – BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA) AND IN THE SURROUNDING AREA

Summary/Abstract: Govještica is currently the longest cave in Bosnia and Herzegovina (9656 m of mapped channels) and it is located in the canyon of the Prača river at about 40km East of Sarajevo close to the administrative border between the municipalities of Rogatica in the Republic of Srpska and Prača-Pale in the Federation. Since 2010; the presence of several bats in the above mentioned cave; in the nearby Mračna cave and surrounding region has been recorded. In the period of the international speleological expedition organized in the August 2013 a more detailed investigation of the bats population in the cave and in the close surrounding area has been performed. This included collection of osteological remains and record and analysis of echolocation signals using time-expansion bat detectors (data not included in this study); photographic documentation and capture of specimens by the use of mist nets followed by basic morphometric measurements. Preliminary results have shown the presence of numerous species belonging to at least four genuses: Nyctalus; Miniopterus; Myotis and Rhinolophus. It is recommended that further activities shall include a monitoring plan of the bat population that will have to cover different periods of the year and last for a longer time span. These data will be of paramount importance for any future project for the valorization and protection of the area.

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