The Church of the Assumption of Mary in Małastów, one of the oldest villages in the Beskid Niski [Low Beskidy Mts], built in early 1800s, as a Greek-catholic tserkov, nowadays serves as a Roman-catholic church. Picturesquely located over a creek, between the hills uprising some 300-400metres above the village, it hosts a colony of the Greater Mouse-eared bats. The species is largest among native bats, if you don’t count one or two incidental records of the greater noctule bat. It means their total body mass reaches up to 40g, about the same as a sparrow. Being built differently than birds, in flight the bats seem much bigger than they really are.

About 300 of the greater mouse-eared bat that live in the Małastów church weighs some 10 kg, not at all impressive, but in the Beskid Niski it is one of largest colonies of the species. In general, the bat is rare throughout Europe, so it was taken into protection under EU habitat directive, subject to protection under Natura 2000 network. This made it possible to raise funding from the LIFE project for the support of the Małastów church roof renovation. Renovation of the bat roosts must be done in the absence of bats. The Małastów church renovation is made by the experienced team, so the progress is visible each day. It looks that bats returning from their winter quarters will enjoy the renewed roost.