“Lonely Joe” is the last male bat of the mouse-eared species found in a cave in Sussex, England.
British scientists first discovered a mouse-eared bat in the early 2000s when it was still very small. Prior to this, the species had been declared extinct in 1992.
“Lonely Joe” is currently the only living mouse-eared bat in England.
By 2019, images of “Lonely Joe” as an adult were publicly released just in time for Christmas. Dr. Fiona Mathews, a biology professor and the chair of the Mammal Society, urged the public to actively search for larger mouse-eared bats.
According to Dr. Mathews, this species still has the potential to reside in Sussex, Hampshire, or Dorset (England). They often tend to inhabit large caves across Europe.
Measuring up to 8 cm in length and capable of living up to 35 years, the mouse-eared bat is one of the largest bat species found in England. The location of “Lonely Joe” is currently kept secret to prevent harm from curious tourists.
The mouse-eared bat in England is once again facing the risk of extinction.
In the 1970s, a colony of 20 mouse-eared bats lived in a damp tunnel in West Sussex. However, due to an inability to sustain reproduction, the population of this colony gradually declined.
“Lonely Joe” is the last living mouse-eared bat, but currently cannot find a mate, putting this species at risk of extinction once more.
