The western barbastelle (Barbastella barbastellus) in Podillia: a phase of population growth

In 2009–2020, there was an increase in the number of the western barbastelle in Podillia. The number of wintering specimens in key wintering sites in the region has increased from 5 to 2500. The total increase over 12 years was 2,200 individuals, an average of +168 individuals per year. The only summer find of the species is the registration of a cluster of 20 speci-mens in a hollow of an old willow in the valley of the Studenytsia river near Nyzhni Patryntsi, Kamianets-Podilskyi Raion, Khmelnytskyi Oblast. According to census results, a positive population dynamics is observed in key wintering sites of the region: IVK, GMN, and YAC-mines. The species was also found in other anthropogenic sites of Pryvorottia-2, in the basement of Ozhekhovsky Palace in Kytaygorod, Kamianets-Podilskyi Raion, Khmelnytskyi Oblast, and in the basement of an abandoned house near Glybochok, Nova Ushytsia Raion, Khmelnytskyi Oblast. IVK mines are a unique wintering site of bats, which has been known as one of the largest winter aggregation of the species in Ukraine for the last 10 years.