NATIONAL REPORT OF RUSSIAN FEDERATION
on implementation of the Agreement on the Conservation of Bats in Europe

A. General Information

Non-Party Range State: Russian Federation
Date of Report: June 2008
Period Covered: April 2007 - May 2008
Competent Authorities: Institute of Ecology of Mountain Territories, Kabardino-Balkarian Scientific Centre of Russian Academy of Sciences; Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences

B. Status of bats within the territory of Russia (European part and the Caucasus)

1. Summary details of resident species
No new bat species were revealed in the European part of Russia and the Russian Caucasus since the date of last report (Table 1)

2. Status and trends
Only one species has significant change in the population trend, comparing with previous report (see Table 1). Rhinolophus euryale was recorded in several caves of Western Caucasus after decades of absence in Russia. One adult female was found in the northern slope of the Caucasus, more then 100 km to the north-west from previously known localities. One maternity and several transient roosts were discovered in caves of Sochi district (Krasnodar Territory). Probably, R. euryale re-colonized Russian Black Sea coast from Georgian part of its range.

Table 1. Current status and trends of bat populations in European Russia and Russian Caucasus: – - decrease of population; + - increase of population; 0 - population is stable, R - the species is protected in some regions, F - the species is protected in federal level.

3. Habitats and roost sites
Mountain and pre-mountain landscapes of different types are the most significant bat habitats in Russia. Undergrounds, overground man constructions and tree hollows are the main roosts for bats in Russia. Roosts of the last type are poorly studied although they have great importance for many threatened species. Bat boxes are being applied in small number in several localities.

4. Threats
Lost of underground roosts and forest habitats are the main threats in Russia. Human disturbance in underground roosts increases due to the development of cave tourism, especially in the Western Caucasus. Current practice of sanitary cutting, accepted in Russian forest management, significantly reduce number of dear and hollow trees. Road construction and development of tourist's infrastructure, including those for Winter Olympic games in Sochi, have negative impact on mountain habitats of threatened bat species.

5. Data collection
Data collection is ongoing in several institutes of the Russian Academy of Science, educational State Universities and Institutes, and also in science departments of State Reserves and National Parks.

C. Measures Taken to Implement Article III of the Agreement

6. Legal measures taken to protect bats
The situation with the Agreement ratification is without changes. All animals are protected in Russia under the Law on Animal World (1995). It foresees a direct protection of animals, which are included in the Red Data Book of Russian Federation or regional Red Data Books. There are only 7 bat species in the latest issue of the Red Data Book of Russian Federation , but the most of other bat species are protected in some Russian regions (Table 1).

7. Sites identified and protected
No new sites had been officially identified and protected.

8. Consideration given to habitats, which are important to bats
No considerations are given.

9. Activities carried out to promote the awareness of the importance of the bat conservation
In the period of 2006-2008, Russian bat workers, together with collegues from Georgian NGO "Campester", NGO "Centre for Biological Diversity (Azerbaijan), NGO "Union of Armenian Nature Protectors" (Armenia) implemented the Project "Development and Capacity Building of transboundary Bats Monitoring Network in the Caucasus" through the financial support of Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF). Within the project fieldwork 234 locations were observed: 33 in Azerbaijan, 49 in Armenia, 62 in Georgia and 90 in Russia. Information on most significant roosts and habitats of threatened species, as well as recommendations on their protection, were represented to state authorities.

10. Responsible bodies nominated for the provision of advice on bat conservation and management
The Ministry of Nature Resources and Ecology is responsible for the provision of advice on conservation and management for bat species, which are included in the Red Data Book of Russia. Regional environmental Ministries or Departments are responsible for advice and management of other bat species.

11. Additional action undertaken to safeguard populations of bats
No additional actions have been undertaken.

12. Recent and ongoing programmes relating to conservation and management of bats
Besides projects mentioned in Chapter 9, several scientific researches dealing with the conservation of bats are taking place in Russia. The most of them are related with the monitoring of underground roosts and habitats in protected areas, and one – with radio telemetry and DNA-analysis of M. bechsteinii (see Chapter 14).

13. Considerations being given to the potential effects of pesticides on bats
No considerations were given.

D. Functioning of the Agreement

14. Cooperation with other Range States
Russian bat workers collaborate with colleagues from Switzerland, Georgia, Bulgaria and Serbia within the ongoing project "Ecology, behaviour and population genetics of the forest living Bechstein's bat (Myotis bechsteinii) in two glacial refuges: South-Eastern Europe and the Caucasus". Other international project with participation of Russian, Georgian and Armenian scientists, devoted to conservation of Caucasian bats, was devoted to conservation of Caucasian bats (see Chapter 9). It came to the end in May, 2008.