Lesser Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus hipposideros
One of Britain’s smallest bats, distinguished by the elaborate horseshoe-shaped noseleaf used to direct its high-frequency echolocation. Grey-brown fur above, paler below; at rest, it wraps its wings entirely around its body to form a distinctive cocoon-like shape. Extremely rare in Suffolk and largely confined to the west of Britain; any record in the county is considered notable. Image: © Barnabás Bancsik, iNaturalist.
Find out more: Bat Conservation Trust, Suffolk Wildlife Trust, iNaturalist, The Mammal Society
Post-1994 distribution maps (tetrad)
Suffolk’s Priority Bat Species
Key
Listed as a conservation priority in Suffolk’s Biodiversity Action Plan.
Closely associated with Suffolk’s landscape and natural identity.
Identified as a key priority for recovery under Suffolk’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
Has a Species of the Month article attached.
2025 Fact Sheet