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'What an Olympian': Bat travelled from UK to Russia, but got killed by a cat

WION Web Team
London, United KingdomUpdated: Aug 07, 2021, 07:31 PM IST
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Representative image Photograph:(Reuters)

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The bat revealed that the bat had successfully flown from the UK across Europe to finally reach Russia. This is a new record of flight recorded for any bat

A bat has made it to the headlines who travelled from London to Russia, but ultimately got killed by a cat.

Russia’s experts found a female Nathusius' pipistrelle bat which was the size of a human thumb and weighed around 8g (0.3 oz). It was found in the country’s Pskov region.

On its wing, the experts found a marking of London Zoo. This revealed that the bat had successfully flown from the UK across Europe to finally reach Russia. This is a new record of flight recorded for any bat.

It was discovered by a Russian local, Svetlana Lapina in the village of Molgino, who then reported the finding to the experts and the news eventually reached the Bat Conservation Trust in the UK.

"This is a remarkable journey and the longest one we know of any bat from Britain across Europe. What an Olympian," said Lisa Worledge, head of conservation services at the Bat Conservation Trust. "Her journey is an exciting scientific finding and another piece in the puzzle of bat migration. The movements of Nathusius' pipistrelles around the UK and between the UK and the continent remain largely mysterious."

Its wing was marked with the mark in London in 2016 by bat recorder Brian Briggs. "This is very exciting. It's great to be able to contribute to the international conservation work to protect these extraordinary animals and learn more about their fascinating lives," Briggs exclaimed.