Could the UK's loneliest bat finally have a mate?
The greater mouse-eared bat (Myotis myotis) was declared extinct in 1992, before a single male was found in a disused railway tunnel in West Sussex in 2002 and another in 2023,
A female of the species has now been spotted in the same area in the South Downs National Park, the first in the wild since the 1980s.
Daniel Hargreaves, bat programme manager for Vincent Wildlife Trust, said the new discovery was "fantastic news" and he felt "privileged to have witnessed it first-hand".
A spokesperson for Sussex Bat Group said: "With no sightings in 2024, the species was thought to have said a final farewell to Britain."
Conservationists have ringed the female bat to be able to identify it in future monitoring and research surveys.
They are continuing to monitor the area for more individuals and roosts in the hope of finding an established breeding population.
Daniel Whitby, a bat ecologist, said: "The finding of a female is rewarding and a remarkable discovery which brings huge hope for this species.
"By providing suitable roosts, restoring habitats and reducing anthropogenic threats such as artificial light and noise, this species might just stand a chance of recovering."
The original male of the species has not been spotted in the area since 2023.
Nick Gray, from Sussex Bat Group, said: "The site is undoubtedly of national significance and we are so lucky to have it here within the South Downs National Park."
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Bat thought extinct in UK found in rail tunnel
Colony of rare bats discovered
UK bat species 'recovering or stable'
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