© Jordan - RSCN
© Säugetiere Europas (Görner & Hackethal)
This is the largest and most heavily built of the horseshoe bats in the region.
This species known to occur in Europe, North western Africa, the Near East and along the belt in the southern Palearctic region from Afghanistan to Japan.
This species is well studied in Europe. Only when males separate from females colonies can they be found to roost in the deep parts of caves or other areas where humidity is high. They prefer to hang freely from horizontal roofs. When hibernating they acquire a characteristic posture with their wings and tail membranes covering covering most of their body and the head tucked inwards.
When active , these bats are very alert with their ears moving constantly to pick the reflected sound that is emitted from their nose which used to locate the pray and other object by emitting sonar.
Fertilization known to occur in October or November but the egg implants in the wall of uterus only in the spring at the end of the hibernation season.( a phenomenon known as delayed implantation). This species may share caves with R.euryale and R.hippositeros but R.hippositeros roosts usually closer to the exit.