The final stop of the trip was Hohenburg, likewise in case of the earlier trip

This time we have met not only the Mayor of Hohenburg and memebrs of the partner organisations, but also representative of the Regional Government of the Upper Palatinate (Oberpfalz). Our guide across the world of the greater horseshoe bats was the leader of the LIFE Große Hufeisennase Bayern project, Rudolf (Rudi) Leitl.

We had an opportunity to visit wooded pastures, adapted to the bat needs in the community forest. Thanks to this sort of management, the cows have more comfort, finding a shade during hot days and more diverse food. Bats benefit, as they hunt by perching from tree twigs. Their prey develops in fresh cow excrements, which under tree cover dry out much longer than in the open sun. Biological diversity in the forest is much higher. One can find blue butterflies, larvae of which develop in ant-hills in the forest, carline thistles, gentians and many other rare animal and plant species.

The agricultural part of the project was passed into hands of a local farmer, Mr Sebastian Schaller. He runs an ecological farm, shop and restaurant, where the direct link between nature and economy is implemented. Beef of the Upper Palatinate red cattle was very tasty.

In the evening the group seated outside the roost could watch emerging bats. At certain moment a sparrowhawk attacked one of the horseshoe bats, which was captured on the film by Ms Paulina Dziendziel.

There was lately a broadcast about the Hohenburg greater horseshoes and the LIFE project on the German television ARD