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This comprehensive and superbly illustrated handbook presents for the first time all 51 bat species that occur across Europe and Northwest Africa, taking in to account recent taxonomic advances and new species descriptions from over the last few years. The discovery of new species in Europe, after a century of intensive investigations, indicates the limits of our knowledge and how far we are from a comprehensive understanding of bat ecology, biology, behaviour and biogeography. It was this need, especially as it affected conservation in the light of habitat loss and fragmentation, that motivated the authors of this landmark work.

The aim has been both to inspire a wide readership and to make the book exciting for specialists. Extensive introductory chapters reveal the remarkable biology of bats and explore the latest findings in bat evolution and echolocation. The in-depth species accounts cover life history, conservation status and identification, and are accompanied by the fine photography of Dietmar Nill.

The book was first published in German in 2007. For this English edition a number of corrections and updates have been incorporated and there is additional information on species occurring in the UK. A table reflects the latest IUCN conservation status assessments for species, including 5 extra species which are briefly discussed in the species accounts.